Following a schedule to gradually build up your running and ensuring you do not do too much to soon is an important part of ensuring you see your challenge through to the end and achieving your goals. Doing to much to soon can cause injury which in turn knock your motivation and see you giving up before you’ve really started.

Before you start the schedule you should prepare your legs for the additional work they are going to do with 8 days of brisk walking. Walk for 20 minutes a day for the first 4 days, then increase to 30 minutes a day for 4 more days, you will then be ready to begin with Week 1. Each week of the schedule do your run/walk work-outs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Take a rest day on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday but be sure to do lots of stretching as your muscles will begin to tighten and maybe do some light swimming to keep yourself active, every little helps! We will be training from the club 2 times each week on a Monday and Thursday evening to help you stay motivated starting at 7:15pm.

This schedule has been used by our Beginner co-ordinators many times in the past and it works (as long as you do the sessions!). This schedule takes non-runners and, in 10 to 12 weeks, gets them to the point where they can run for around 30 minutes without stopping.

Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes – repeat 5 times.
Week 2: Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes – repeat 5 times.
Week 3: Run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes – repeat 4 times.
Week 4: Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes – repeat 3 times.
Week 5: Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes – repeat 3 times.
Week 6: Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes – repeat 2 times, then run 8 minutes.
Week 7: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute – repeat 3 times.
Week 8: Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes – repeat 2 times.
Week 9: Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute – repeat 2 times.
(If week 9 left you feeling particularly tired, repeat this week of training before moving on to week 10).
Week 10: Run 30 minutes.