Week six of Couch to 5K: Pump up the excitement

Can you believe it’s the final training week for NOVA’s first Couch to 5K program? We hope participants will lean into the spirit of “Your experience, Your Way,” a collaboration between the Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence (CATE) and the Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW).

What does it mean as you embark on your 5K? Not only can you complete your 3.1 miles however you like (by walking, jogging, biking, running or anything in between), but we also invite you to complete it in your time, anywhere you like. For those that would like to travel together, consider joining fellow inaugural 5K Your Way colleagues at Accotink Park in Springfield, Va., on Friday, April 11 at 2 p.m. for a special community 5K event.

As for Week 6? Let’s finish strong! Here’s what Week 6 of the training program looks like:

• Day 1 Run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute. Then run hard for 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Repeat 2x.
• Day 2 Rest or cross-train.
• Day 3 Run 30 minutes.
• Day 4 Rest.
• Day 5 Run 20 minutes.
• Day 6 Rest or cross-train.
• Day 7 Rest.

As always, check out the digital bulletin board for details on how to share your 5K experience, activity of choice, and time as well as the full invitation to the community 5K at Accotink Park on Friday, April 11—the final day of NOVA’s Spring 2025 Walk Week!

—Emily Miller, testing center coordinator, MEC