Week 1 - "Full-Cream"

So let's get started! If you feel the distances are too modest, feel free to increase them. But remember, this is just week one!

Monday May 30 - easy run to get started, 5 km (3 miles) at comfortable pace, focus on JOY and feeling good rhythm. Remember to warm-up and finish with comprehensive stretching routine! Tuesday May 31 - day off running. WHAT? A great danger with any program of this type is that by following too stringently a prescribed program, one can lose a sense of imagination. So today, use your imagination and find another form of good aerobic exercise for 45 minutes - swimming, cycling, gymwork, frisbee, basketball. Have some fun! Wednesday June 1 - medium distance run, 12 km (7 miles) at reasonable intensity. Run the final km at your maximum race pace, focusing on good form. Finish feeling exhilarated. Thursday June 2 - easy run, 7 km (4 miles), plus 30 minutes of alternative exercise. Friday June 3 - 10 km (6 miles) at moderate pace, including 4 x 100 metres strides in the course of the run. These don't have to be accurately measured 100 metres, you might just pick out a tree at a distance and aim for that, or you can do them on a track. The idea is to focus on 'picking up' your stride by kicking your foot back further and higher, lifting the head and swinging the arms higher - so you go faster! Think up! In between each stride series, jog for 100 metres, then when the strides are completed, immediately resume your 10 km run. Saturday June 4 - day off running, just light exercise. Sunday June 5 - weekly long run, 23 km (14 miles) at comfortable pace in the morning. In the afternoon, cycle for 30 minutes (helps ease lactic acid build-up out of tight muscles).