I am a runner. This statement was not applicable a few years ago but one of my yearly goals for last year was to run a 10k race. Not only did I do that but I did it twice. 10k was a big stretch for me because prior to that I was not running at all, making even a 5k race feel intimidating. Through people that I know I learned about phone apps that helped people go from the couch to the 5k race. By doing some searching online I found the Nike Run Club app which is what I used for my race training.
The 10k race training plan was 8 weeks long with 5 runs every week. Each week had a mix of recovery runs, speed runs, and long runs. Over the course of the training period the intensity of speed runs got higher and the long runs became longer. It felt great to be able to do more and perform better each week and see quantitatively how much I had improved by running consistently every week.
The training plan portion of the Nike Run Club app is excellent, but the best part and the main reason why I still use it is for the guided runs. Most of the guided runs feature Coach Bennett, the Nike Global Running Head Coach. In these guided runs, Coach Bennett will guide runners through by telling them what they need to hear and when they need to hear it. Like a reminder at the beginning of every run to start easy, or about 3/4 of the way through a run to stay loose and focused. Every so often runners get a reminder to breathe better and to have good form.
Another favorite part of the guided runs are the themes of the run. Runs will focus on joy, confidence, strength, and mindfulness. Some runs will feature other coaches and athletes who will bring in their own stories and personal advice to the runner during the run. A lot of times the discussion will be about running, but in many of the guided runs Coach Bennett will say “This is about running. This is not about running.”.
I am all about podcasts. I listen to podcasts all the time when I am driving or doing chores at home. I first tried to listen to podcasts while I was on a run and I did not like it that much. So, when I first considered trying out Nike Run Club I was a bit unsure of the guided runs because it seemed like it was a podcast. I was wrong. Yes, it is just talking but it is someone who is talking directly to the runner. Plus, the coach is able to talk to the runner about their progress in the run and give them guidance for where they are at and that is a big deal.
Currently I am about halfway through the half-marathon training plan and I love it. It was difficult to get back into running after not running for a while but because of the guided runs and the training plan I am feeling confident about my first half-marathon race that is in a couple of months.
If anyone is interested in running and do not know where or how to start, I highly recommend checking out Nike Run Club. It is completely free and has some excellent plans for getting started or just try out some of the guided runs.
See you around,
Sam