With Spring around the corner, many are starting to wonder if it isn't time to hit the road.
Jogging is, after all, one of the cheapest forms of exercise.
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The good news is you don’t have to tackle marathons to reap the benefits of physical activity. Even running for as little as five to 10 minutes a day can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease and increase longevity, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
What’s more, you can run on your own or as part of a group. “Running is free,” says Ndyebo Mapekula, captain of Adidas Running Club in Cape Town. “It’s a great way to keep your cholesterol in check and to relieve stress. Many people run to clear their heads, especially if they do it outside where they can enjoy the environment.”
So what if you want to get started but are concerned because you can barely walk up a flight of stairs without running out of breath? Adopting a realistic programme is a good way to begin, says Steve Attwell, a coach with fitness organisation Embark. “This will help you to improve faster, instead of just taking it as it comes.”
With Attwell’s help, we’ve compiled a training programme to get you going, even if you’re a couch potato who hasn’t done any exercise since before lockdown. “It requires nothing more than some willpower,” Attwell says.
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“In just 10 weeks this programme can turn you from someone who’s puffed before they reach the first lamppost into someone who can run 5km uninterrupted.”
Plus the schedule doesn’t dictate on which days you have to do what, so it’s pretty flexible but it’s best to plan your week so you have at least one rest day between training days if possible. “The rest is as important as the training days, as it gives the body time to recover and adapt to the load of exercise,” says Attwell.
This programme, he says, will ensure you don’t push your unconditioned body too hard too soon, but instead gradually acclimatises you to manage a 5km distance.
WEEK 1 AND 2
20 minutes, three times a week
In the first two weeks you do 20 minutes of easy walking, three times a week. It’s not ambling, like a stroll in the mall, but walking with a purpose – like you’re on your way to a sale and want to be first in line!
WEEK 3 AND 4
30 minutes, three exercise sessions a week
During the next two weeks of the programme, you gradually incorporate running. You still train three times a week, and each training session starts with a five-minute warm-up of brisk walking. In Week 3 you train for 30 minutes a day, alternating walking and running. Run for one minute and walk for one minute, repeating this for as much of the 30 minutes as you can. Don’t over-exert yourself; if towards the end of the time you can’t run anymore, just keep walking until the end of the 30 minutes.
WEEK 5 AND 6
3km, three exercise sessions a week
Work out a 3km route – you can measure the distance with your car if you like. Stick to the walk-and-run combination of the previous weeks, but every day you should try to extend the running time and reduce the walking time. Only do what you can manage. If, to begin with, you’d like to stick with walking for one minute and running for one minute, that’s fine, as long as you go the distance.
WEEK 7 AND 8
4km, three exercise sessions a week
Increase your 3km route by a kilometre. Try to run further than you walk in each session. Do it gradually: for example, on the first day increase your running from 60 seconds to 70 seconds, and shorten your walking time from 60 to 50 seconds. In your second session try changing a few more seconds of walking into running, and so on. Take a water bottle with you if it’s going to take you longer than 45 minutes. By the end of week 8, 4km shouldn’t feel so daunting to do.
WEEK 9
4,5km, three exercise sessions a week
Add 500m and stick to the run-walk routine, while trying to reduce your walking time.
WEEK 10
5km
Take an extra rest day or two to complete a 5km run. See for how much of the distance you can run.
Attwell and Mapekula recommend finding an exercise partner or someone to run with you. “Join a club, or get someone to keep you accountable,” Mapekula says. “It helps when someone knows you haven’t pitched for training – otherwise it’s just too easy to stay on the couch.”
And, remember, if you have any health problems or injuries, it’s best to talk to your doctor first to ensure the programme is suitable for you.
"Also listen to your body during training sessions," warns Attwell. "Don’t overdo it.”
