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5k starting line
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Rest

 Getting adequate rest in between workouts is every bit as important as the workouts themselves. Your muscles need to repair and rebuild in order to benefit from a hard workout, and this cannot happen in the midst of more hard workouts. The 3-runs-a-week plan forces these rest days in between each workout, and as the weeks become more grueling you will have full weeks of recovery where the mileage and intensity is eased.
 

HIIT

 'High Intensity Interval Training': In the old days of running, the training mentality was basically the more miles the better. More recently it's come to light that you will actually benefit more from shorter workouts with periods of high-intensity than from longer runs at an 'all day pace'. The long, easy runs are still important to build up your base endurance level, but the majority of your workouts should include portions that push you to a higher exertion level (such as the 'Speedwork' and 'Tempo Runs' that you'll become very familiar with as you progress through the training plan).
 

Track your distance

 Pacing is very important when you have a goal time in mind. Come race day you don't want to start out too fast or too slow, and you need to become familiar and comfortable with your target pace. The good news - you will become an expert on pacing just by going through the training routines, as long as you can gauge the distance (and time) of each run. Here are a few methods that I like to use:
  • Odometer: If your route is on streets, drive it with your car and reference the odometer reading. Make sure to note (write it down if needed) the location of each mile mark so on future runs you can track your pace along the way.
  • Online map: Use a website like MapMyRun.com to map out a route and establish distance. Here you can also find routes that others like to run in your area.
  • GPS Watch: The con of the prior two methods is that you can't gauge distance in real-time. With a GPS Watch you can track your current speed and total distance (along with run time), and many let you upload your runs to your computer so you can keep a record of your workout history and share it with friends.
  • Track: Find a local public track, typically at a college or public park (or high school if you come outside of school hours). If you aren't aware of any nearby you can go to Google Maps and find your location then click 'Satellite' in the top right corner for the satellite view. If you zoom in a bit you should be able to spot the track ovals on the map if there are any nearby. Minor note - when training on a track make sure to switch up your direction regularly so you aren't always turning the same way - this can cause unbalanced stress on certain muscles. Similarly, because of all the turns I recommend only using a track for Speedwork.
  • Treadmill: While I don't recommend running on a treadmill too often, if you have access to one this is another easy way to track your distance. Once you're a little ways into the training plan you'll need to make sure the treadmill goes up to 12 mph (5 minute mile pace) if you're doing Speedwork; many treadmills only go to 10 mph (6 minute mile pace), which is not quite up to par with how lightning-fast you will become.
 

Minimize impact

 Terrain: Dirt trails are ideal, just make sure to remain aware of the ground in front of you so you don't twist an ankle on uneven terrain or rocks. For street runs avoid high impact surfaces like cement when possible; asphalt is actually a bit softer so stay down on the street when it's safe to do so.

Shoes: Start working up to minimalist shoes. This will sound counter-intuitive if you haven't yet joined the 'barefoot revolution', but lots of recent studies (by Nike even) have found that your foot actually absorbs impact much more effectively than shoe cushion. This will require some time to adapt, so when you do get some minimalist shoes make sure to start out easy, preferably at the beginning of a training plan. The Vibram Five Fingers are very popular if you want to go all out, though my personal favorite is the Merrell Trail Glove, which I've been using for the past three years. For more details on the science and studies behind this along with an awesome, inspiring and entertaining true story check out Born to Run.

Gait: Lean your body forward very slightly and land on your midfoot/forefoot directly below your torso, taking quick short strides. Avoid reaching out and heel striking, as this actually causes decelleration on each step and adds impact shock to the knee. I'm unfamiliar with Newton products, but they have great reference animations for proper and improper form here.

Cross-training: Some of the best shape I've been in for footraces has actually come from triathlon training. Adding some low-impact cross-training into your plan is a great way to improve your general fitness and endurance while avoiding the risk of stress or impact related injuries. It also keeps your schedule from getting too monotonous with run after run, mixing it up with some biking, swimming, elliptical machine, or rowing for instance.
 

Expedite healing

 As you up your miles and speed, you'll find your legs becoming quite sore and tight after workouts. This can last for multiple days if you're not careful, so you'll want to do whatever you can to assist with recovery in order to be as fresh and loose as possible making your way into each new workout.

Self-therapy: Deep tissue massage is perfect for recovery (breaking up scar tissue, alleviating muscle tightness, and increasing blood flow and circulation to speed healing), but it's not practical when you want near daily treatments. The good news - you can get the same 'myofascial release' benefits with simple massage tools that you can use at home. A foam roller is pretty much a must - this is prescribed for most physical therapy treatments and allows for working out the kinks in any of your leg muscles. I try to use this twice a week, and then almost nightly I use a smaller massage tool which is quicker and easier to use, but doesn't allow for quite as much pressure as the foam roller.

It's also common to have some tightness and inflammation in the bottom of your feet. I've had good luck preventing this using a foot roller, just for a couple minutes every other day or so.

Stretching: You'll notice that the plan includes light stretching after each warmup - I've found that this also helps alleviate the tightness, and helps with quicker turnover for speedwork. If you're particularly inflexible or prone to tightness, then get in the habit of doing a little stretching routine nightly. Start with a few minutes of warmup, like jogging in place, and then go through some easy stretches for each muscle group (calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, groin and glutes). You can find some sretches with a quick google search, or if you want some recommendations feel free to email me. This kind of stretching routine is a perfect precursor for the massage options mentioned above.

Supplements: I'm no expert on general sports nutrition so you're on your own there, but I do have a little quick advice regarding supplements for some easy benefit. For quicker muscle recovery after a particularly hard or long run have a protein shake, ideally within an hour or so of your workout. Pretty much any tub of whey protein will get the job done, though I like Muscle Milk (light) for the additional amino acids and functional fats and such aimed specifically at lean muscle repair. (Good news - chocolate milk is actually about the next best thing if you don't have access to a protein shake.)

Then for joints just pick up some Glucosamine at your local drugstore, or if you're lazy you can order this one online - this is the kind I use (which I first found at Costco). Glucosamine, particularly in combination with Chondroitin Sulfate, strengthens your joints and connective tissues and is highly regarded in the competitive running community.
 

Strengthen your core

 Your 'core' refers to the muscles that make up your torso, from the hips up to the armpits. Adding some core strengthening exercises on the side will help your running in all kinds of ways - improving your running form and preventing injury, adding to your endurance and speed, helping your breathing, and stabilizing the body to absorb impact on landing. Throw in two short workouts a week if you can. There are tons of options for core exercises which you can explore online, and you can check out my recommended exercise gear.
 

Enjoy running

 The goal is to make each run something you look forward to. It's easy to get burnt out if you're not careful, at which point running can become tedious. Here are some things I incorporate into my training that tend to keep me eager for my next run:

Trails: Getting away from streets and cars and even people can make running a nice escape. These areas tend to be more scenic as well, and variations in the terrain tend to keep it from getting boring.

Music: Listening to music while running can help take your focus off the fatigue and provide a pleasant distraction. If it's upbeat it can serve as a metronome of sorts as you stride to the rhythm, or in my case I like to listen to audio books to become immersed and nearly forget I'm still running. There are plenty of options for lightweight MP3 players - I've lately been using the Ipod Nano and have been quite happy with it. And these headphones are the best I've found for running - they stay on better than most without bouncing, they're sweatproof, and there's no cable to bother with.

Inspiration: I'll get straight to the point here - if you haven't read Born to Run, do so as soon as possible. You can follow that up with other great books that will also keep that running itch alive. In the movie space I recommend Without Limits, which is based on the life of Steve Prefontaine (often considered America's best distance runner). Subscribing to Runner's World isn't a bad idea either - I typically find a handful of interesting and compelling articles in each issue.

Running buddies: A lot of runners like myself are the 'lone wolf' type who particularly enjoy and embrace the solitude that can come with running, so I'm not going to say that a running partner is a must-have. But having contact with fellow runners will help push you and keep you interested and motivated, especially if they are training for the same race or with similar goals. A social running site like dailymile.com is perfect if you can get a few friends to join - here you can log and share workouts and throw in some friendly competition, which is often just enough to get you out the door on those days when you aren't really feeling the running itch. (If you happen to have the Garmin GPS Watch or a Nike+, dailymile will sync your workouts so that you don't need to manually enter the details.)

Races: Races are another integral part of running as I see it - I presume you don't need too much convincing since you're here. The excitement of lining up at the starting line waiting for the gun with a bunch of runners who all trained for the same race is impossible to match on a training run. And you can count on some competitors aiming for the same target who can help keep you on track and provide a little spirited rivalry.