Diamond 5k running plan

Building up to a 5k run is a great way to get fit, while maintaining an achievable target, the Best Friends Club has got together with a top personal trainer to give you some fitness tips and get you up and running!

Running a 5k (either for fun, as a personal target or as part of a charitable event), is an ideal distance. The training won't take over your life and after doing three or four runs a week you could be flying past the finish line in just five weeks.

Please check with your doctor before starting any strenuous training regime.

The benefits of running

• Reduces risk of heart disease
• Burns lots of calories, helping you lose excess body fat
• Improves your aerobic capacity
• Makes you more fatigue-resistant
• Strengthens muscles, ligaments and tendons in your lower body

Eight week plan

So you want to run a 5K? Top Personal Trainer Kristoph Thompson has designed a training programme exclusively for Diamond Best Friends Club.

Kristoph works with a whole range of clients, from those with disabilities to professional footballers. He lectures in exercise and nutrition at the University of Brighton and writes fitness columns for a number national magazines and newspapers.

Quick warm up tips

If you want to stay injury free it's important to warm up before you exercise. Think of the muscles as blue tac, straight out of the packet it tears easily, but when warmed in your hands it is much more elastic and pliable. Dynamic stretching is most effective in a warm-up, try brisk walking, walking lunges, high knees, butt kicks and leg swings.

Staying motivated

Set yourself realistic achievable goals. Don't expect to be able to run 5k in your very first training session. Building your fitness takes time but if you train consistently you will see the results. If you're still struggling to stick to your schedule, team up with a friend. You can encourage each other to keep going and you'll have someone to be accountable to if you miss a session.

The fitness plan is based on three training sessions per week, for a total of eight weeks. By alternating running and walking each session is designed to gradually build your fitness. For example: the first session requires you to jog for thirty seconds then walk for ninety seconds, repeat this ten times.

As you gradually increase the amount of time you run for - by week eight you will be jogging for thirty minutes solid.

How to use the table:

This means jog for thirty seconds then walk for ninety seconds – repeat this ten times.