Walk to Run Program

Just going to do a quickie this morning, but I know some of you have probably been curious. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve seen me mention the Walk to Run Program I started yesterday. A favorite food blogger of mine, Pinch My Salt, wrote about it on her blog way back in August, and I flagged it in my Reader, to try for myself. I used to be a runner, back in high school, and really loved it. But I hurt my hips and for a long time any kind of exercise hurt. Now, I really want to do SOMETHING to get in shape, I really miss running, and I’d like to try to get back into it. But, if you’ve ever been injured, you know you can’t just jump right back into exercise, you have to build yourself back up to where you used to be. So, I’m trying this training program. It slowly builds you up to being able to run for 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week. I’m only on day two of the walking prep, and while I’m sore, and yes, my hips are KILLING me, I’m already feeling very energized!

Bud Coate’s Ease into this Running Program

Before you start: get your legs ready with eight days of walking:  Walk for 20 minutes a day for the first four days, then increase to 30 minutes a day for four more days.

Each week of the program, do your run/walk workouts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Take a rest day or an easy walk on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

WEEK 1:  Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes.  Complete 5 cycles.
WEEK 2:  Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes.  Complete 5 cycles.
WEEK 3:  Run 5 minutes, walk 2 ½ minutes.  Complete 4 cycles.
WEEK 4:  Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes.  Complete 3 cycles.
WEEK 5:  Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes.  Complete 3 cycles.
WEEK 6:  Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes.  Complete 2 cycles, then run 8 minutes.
WEEK 7:  Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute.  Complete 3 cycles.
WEEK 8:  Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes.  Complete 2 cycles.
WEEK 9:  Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute.  Complete 2 cycles.
WEEK 10:  Run 30 minutes.

Note:  You may stretch out this schedule to include 2 weeks at a certain level if you feel tired after completing one.  Do not be tempted to shorten the schedule.  Remember, you are aiming for 30 minutes of uninterrupted running, not a distance.  Run as slow as you need in order to reach the goal.

From Complete Book of Running, Amby Burfoot, editor, 1997, Rodale Press

Also, check out Pinch My Salt’s thoughts on the subject here.