Frequently Asked Questions

Our training is free for a very good reason…shoes (not training programs) should be your first spending priority for running. Running in the wrong or old shoes can lead to aches, pains and even injury, so start your training off right with a proper shoe fitting. Typically, running shoes should be replaced every 6 months to a year. At running-stores, like Commonwealth Running Company, or Murphy’s Fit, trained associates can fit you with the best shoes for your foot and stride to reduce the chance of injury. Both stores offer a 10% discount to ERC members, plus Commonwealth Running Company periodically offers Shop Night's.  

Our plan is focused on building endurance...not speed. Therefore, you should try to keep a slow, steady pace that you can maintain for a longer period of time. We like to call our pace, "conversation pace", meaning you're still able to chat with your running mates.  

Maybe you were out late, didn't get enough sleep, ate too much of the wrong foods, or are just having a rough day. Whatever the reason, we've all been there...you feel like you just can't finish the workout.  Here are some strategies to help you get through...

1. First, get curious and ask yourself "What's the source of my discomfort?"  Feeling out of breath?  Legs feeling sluggish/heavy?  Is your whole body feeling tired, like you just want to lay down?  Are you feeling frustrated or mentally kaput? Sometimes, naming it helps make it more managable.

2. Next, experiment with addressing the discomfort...

   • Out of breath?  Check your posture...you can open up your lungs by extending your spine and pulling your shoulders back.  Engage those core muscles to support your posture and open up you lungs. Focus on  your exhales. When you focus on forcing more air out and lengthining your exhales, you'll calm your breathing and allow your lungs to fill more completely on your in-breath.  If all else fails, can you try downshifting your intensity slightly. This may allow you to finish the interval or workout?

   •  Physically fatigued?   With each breath think about sending energy to the muscles that support your running...to your quads, your gluts, even your core to run smoothly and efficiently. Try upshiftiing your intensity for a short time to give yourself a jolt of energy.  It seems counter intuitive, but sometimes we can redistribute the effort to different muscles and increase blood flow by speeding up for a short time. Try swinging your arms faster, or really push off the ground with your feet. Our 0-5K workouts are not so long to require refueling during a workout, but if you're feeling really tired, think about when you last ate. Consider eating a piece of fruit or healthy snack before your next workout.  

   • Mentally fatigued?  Building fitness is as much mental as it is physical. If  you find yourself feeling bored or impatient, especially at the end of your workout, then your mental endurance is being challenged.  That's a good time to appreciate the present moment by tuning into your senses and your surroundings.  Look around...do you see something interestesting?  Maybe the trees are in bloom. What sounds do you hear?  Are there any interesting smells?  If you have a training partner, maybe you can engage in conversation. Remind yourself that this is time for yourself.  Everything else can wait, but you've set aside for yourself, so how can you enjoy it?

3. If all else fails, negotiate with yourself.  Maybe you've tried these strategies but, for whatever reason, you really can't finish the entire workout.  Don't be hard on yourself, just ask what CAN you do. Can you finish 75% or half of the workout?  What did you complete on your previous workouts. Can you do that?  Pick a landmark in the distance. Can you make it there? Remember that SOMETHING is always better than nothing and if you consistently get out there doing what you can, then growth will eventually follow.

We 've all been there.  We start out strong, but somewhere along the way, something happens, e.g. we get sick or life gets in the way, and we fall off our exercise plan.  First of all, be kind to yourself, you're not alone, so there is a well trodden path back. Also, this is where the Growth Mindset we mention on our About page comes in handy.  When things don't go as planned, think of it as an opportunity to learn.  Reflect on why it happened and what can be changed going forward. 

If you miss one workout, don't sweat it. Just skip it and resume.  One missed workout isn't going to undo all the progress you've made up to that point.  

If you miss a week, just restart the week where you left off.  If it feels especially hard, try slowing your pace or taking a few extra seconds of rest partway through your workout.

If you miss two weeks, try backing up a week or two in the plan and see how it goes. Listen to your body before deciding if it makes sense to build on or repeat a week.

If you miss close to a month, consider rewinding back to the start of the training plan. If you were close to the end of the training, you may have retained enough fitness to start further into the training,  but just listen to your body and find which week allows you to comfortably finish and add on in a week.  Twelve weeks is really not all that long and it's more important to find a way to enjoy and sustain your running than to finish a 5K in twelve weeks.

And no matter where you are in the training plan, continue to join us on Sunday mornings where there's always someone to run or walk with, no matter your pace and it's always more fun than going it alone!