Week 1 - "Lite"

Let's get started! The program is designed to begin very easily. If you are hoping for a more challenging workload, rest assured there is more to come in the weeks ahead...

Monday May 30 - easy run to get started, 2 km (1 mile) 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 20 minutes - swimming, cycling, gymwork, frisbee, basketball, enough to work up a sweat. Have some fun! Wednesday June 1 - medium distance run, 5 km (3 miles) at reasonable intensity. Finish feeling exhilarated (exhausted is also OK). Thursday June 2 - easy run, 3 km (2 miles), plus 20 minutes of alternative exercise. Don't forget your stretching. Friday June 3 - 5 km (3 miles) at moderate pace, including 2 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 5 km run. Saturday June 4 - day off running, just light exercise for 30 minutes minimum. Sunday June 5 - weekly long run, 8 km (5 miles) at comfortable pace in the morning. In the afternoon, cycle for 20 minutes (helps ease lactic acid build-up out of tight muscles).