Couch-to-5K and 2 other great reads

On October 4, I plan to run in my fourth Making Strikes Against Breast Cancer event. Most people walk this 5K course, but I like to run it. I'm no marathon girl, but 3.2 miles I can do. How about you?

If you're not quite skilled at the 5K but want to take your run a bit farther, check out this site, c25k.com. It's the couch-to-5K running program, and this week-by-week plan is sure to get you up and running in no time. Here, you can chat with other runners, even download podcasts to help you train.

Maybe you're beyond the 5K and wish for something more like 26 miles. Marathontraining.com has what you need: a mileage buildup schedule, information on injury prevention, and motivation strategies.

Combine the two -- the 5K and the marathon -- and you've got halhigdon.com. Here, Hal Higdon, author of Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, coaches novices and road warriors alike.