Welcome to our Couch to 5K Program!
This program is ideal for anyone new to running, or to those who’d like to get back into it as part of a friendly and supportive group. The plan can be found here, and aims to have you ready to take part in the Twilight 5K at Cass Park on June 9.
We’ll meet on Mondays at 6pm by the Large Pavilion in Stewart Park, starting on Monday, April 13. Each session should take about 45 minutes total, and we’ll post a separate reminder each week once we have more of an idea of what the weather will be doing.
Below you will find some FAQs about the program, and starting to run in general. If you have any further questions, or want to clarify anything, please post a reply or send us a DM!
How much does it cost? Do I have to commit to the whole 8 weeks?
There’s no fee to take part in the program, and there’s no need to make a formal commitment. We hope you find the program useful and supportive, but if the timing doesn’t work for you, you can still access the workouts and complete them on your own time.
If you are coming along to the Monday group workouts, you will need to register via Webscorer so that you can sign our group runs waiver. If you are just following along with the plan but exercising individually, you don’t need to register via Webscorer.
What does the plan look like? How many workouts will I do?
The plan has 3 workouts per week - the first one we’ll do as a group on Monday evenings, and then you’ll do the other two on your own time. The plan progresses gradually, to help you steadily increase the amount of running you’re doing. It is designed to be flexible, so you can do the other two workouts whenever works for your schedule - there are no set days.
What do I need to wear?
Please wear comfy clothes, and a pair of shoes you can run in - they don’t need to be intense running shoes, just a comfy pair of sneakers. The Ithaca weather can be unpredictable, so it’s a good idea to have an extra layer or two to hand, and maybe a light jacket in case of rain.
What else should I bring with me?
Please bring water, and a small snack for afterwards. Other things that might be good to bring would be a cap or hat, a pair of sunglasses, sunscreen, and insect repellant.
What sort of terrain will we be running on?
We’ll mostly stick to the paved paths around Stewart Park, though we might also venture onto the flat trails of Renwick Woods.
I’ve never run before - will I be too slow?
There’s no such thing as too slow! The Monday runs are group runs, and so we will make sure that you are never walking or running on your own. The plan also incorporates a lot of purposeful walk/run intervals as part of the designed workout - the goal is to find the pace that suits you to enable you to complete a 5K event, not to turn everyone into a speedster!
Who will be leading the sessions?
The sessions will be led by two FLRC board members and long-time runners, Heather Cobb and Diana Hackett. We are not professional coaches, but our goal is to create an inclusive and supportive environment for new and returning runners. We’ll be sharing lessons learned from our own experiences, but won’t be able to give professional coaching or medical advice.
We’ll also be joined occasionally by other FLRC members who like to run on Monday evenings.
What will the Monday sessions be like?
We’ll meet at 6.00pm and introduce ourselves. Each week will have a mini-topic covering a different aspect of running that we’ll chat through as we go through some dynamic stretches. We’ll talk through the week’s sessions, and then head out for a brisk warm-up walk before starting the planned workout.
After the workout, we’ll do some cool-down stretches, share any successes, concerns or questions, and then head home.
Do I have to take part in the Twilight 5K?
Not at all! We time the program to enable people to be ready to take part in Twilight because it is a fun and family-friendly stalwart of the FLRC running calendar, but you can take part in any 5K you want. Alternatively, we know that organized races are not everyone’s cup of tea, so you can also simply run a 5K distance as the final workout of the plan. We can help you plan a great route if you’d rather do it this way, so please just let us know.
We hope to see you on Monday, April 13th!