Everything according to plan
The two Sanitas running coaching candidates, Nicole Abgottspon and Christoph Banik, kicked off their running adventure with a clearly defined weekly training plan. Each week poses a new set of challenges.
Nicole and Christoph should train at least twice a week – ideally not on two consecutive days. The training plan has been devised by Viktor Röthlin and personal coach Monika Brandt from Vikmotion, who are on standby to offer support and advice to the candidates at any time. Here’s what our running novices had to say about their first five weeks:
Week 1
Warm-up
Foot, knee and hip circles, 20 times in both directions
Warming up
5 minute walk
Strengthening exercises
Sumo squats, 3 x 10 to 25 repetitions
Running technique
3 x 30 m pushing off, gentle jog back
Running
Alternate between 10 x 1 minute jogging and 1 minute walking
Warming down
5 minute walk
Stretching
Slow rolling of the muscles using a Blackroll where it hurts most
Week 2
Warm-up
Foot, knee and hip circles, 20 times in both directions
Warming up
5 minute walk
Strengthening exercises
3 x front and side planks, hold each for 15 to 30 seconds
Running technique
3 x 30 m kick backs, gentle jog back
Running
Alternate between 6 x 3 minutes jogging and 1 minute walking
Warming down
5 minute walk
Stretching
Slow rolling of the muscles using a Blackroll where it hurts most
Week 3
Warm-up
Foot, knee and hip circles, 20 times in both directions
Warming up
5 minute gentle jog
Strengthening exercises
4 bis 6x Handwalk
Running technique
3 x 30 m knee drives, gentle jog back
Running
Alternate between 3 x 8 minutes jogging and 2 minutes walking
Warming down
5 minute walk
Stretching
Slow rolling of the muscles using a Blackroll where it hurts most
Week 4
Warm-up
Foot, knee and hip circles, 20 times in both directions
Warming up
5 minute gentle jog
Strengthening exercises
“Swimming”: 3 x 20 to 30 seconds, swinging arms and legs diagonally
Running technique
3 x 30 m landing, gentle jog
Running
8 minutes jogging / 2 minutes walking / 10 minutes jogging / 2 minutes walking / 12 minutes jogging
Warming down
5 minute gentle jog
Stretching
Slow rolling of the muscles using a Blackroll where it hurts most
Week 5
Warm-up
Foot, knee and hip circles, 20 times in both directions
Warming up
5 minute gentle jog
Strengthening exercises
Rear lunges, 2–3 times x 10 to 25 repetitions, swap leg each time
Running technique
3 x 30 m combination exercise comprising kick backs left/right and knee drives left/right, gentle jog back
Running
Alternate between 2 x 15 minutes jogging and 2 minutes walking
Warming down
5 minute gentle jog
Stretching
Slow rolling of the muscles using a Blackroll where it hurts most
Viktor Röthlin,
European marathon champion and fitness expert
“My goal is to ensure that Nicole and Christoph make it over the finish line of the Zürcher Silvesterlauf. But I also want the coaching to encourage them to get more exercise in their daily routine.”
Viktor Röthlin on goals
“It’s vital for novices to have a clear training goal. Nicole and Christoph’s goal is to complete the 8.55 km run in the 2018 Zürcher Silvesterlauf. In the meantime, I’ll set them lots of interim goals to keep them motivated.”