January 1st, A Good Beginning

On the first day of the new year Wendy began her running program with me as her coach.  We did 12 laps around the indoor track, or 1.2 miles and made her fitness plan.  Because Wendy has some of my all-or-nothing tendencies, she will simply be making the habit of running with the correct pattern for the month of January.  (I'd rather over-compensate her by under-doing the training than see her drop out.)   The correct pattern is to walk briskly for one lap to warm up.  Then run slowly and relaxed for 8 laps.  Walk the last lap to cool down.  (We did a couple extras to cool down.) In January she will simply cover a mile five days a week, covering 20 miles in the month.  One of the days she runs is an "active rest day."  That means she can walk as much of the mile as she wants, the more the better.  The day she does not run, her "rest day," she won't do any other strenuous activity or cross training except for walking or water jogging.  She won't worry about time and will listen to music when I am not babbling to her.  By March she'll be ready for a 5K.  Being conservative the first month will enable her to develop a taste for running with too much effort.  I am so proud of her.