Welcome to the New Year and if that includes a new you with running dreams, weight loss goals, and looking in improve your cardiovascular fitness you can start out on a running training program here. Each week you will find a detailed workout plan that will get you from couch potato to fitness freak! To get in shape the key is consistency, keeping it fun, and building up slowly so that you avoid getting injured or burnt out.

This running training program can be followed by both those who are already in decent shape and looking to get faster with a goal for a personal best racing time, for those that have never run a step in their lives, and everyone else in between. For this reason there will be a range of how long you should be running each day and if you are just starting out you will want to stay on the more conservative amount of miles or minutes run. As you progress you will go up in miles, and for those that have been running you can choose to run the higher recommended miles or minutes. Be in tune with your body and how you are feeling; if you are overly sore or feel like you pulled or tweaked something back off and take it easy. Fitness is a life long journey so don't feel like you need to do it all at once.

For this first week the aim is to increase the amount of cardio that you are doing and implementing running up to five times. New runners will run only three times this week and the rest of the days will be cross training cardio exercise such as going on the elliptical machine or aqua jogging in the pool. These are great ways to stay in shape as they will get your heart rate elevated and mimic the running motion but are easier on your joints. Running too much all at once will put you at risk for an injury, so that is why you will want to cross train for the other days. Each time out you will run or workout at a comfortable pace; one that you can hold a conversation at between breaths. If you have a heart rate monitor you should aim to keep your heart rate between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. On an effort scale of one to ten it should feel like a seven.

If you aren't able to do the full amount of time running yet that is okay; everyone is starting at their own place and will be running at their own pace. Start by doing a brisk walk for five minutes to warm up and then alternate between spurts of running and walking. If you can only run for one minute at a time before walking again, that is okay; just try to make the total workout time and then as you progress you will increase the amount of time running and decrease the amount of time walking. Before you know it you won't be walking at all!

Monday: 20-40 minutes of easy running
Tuesday: day of rest or lifting light weights
Wednesday: 20-40 minutes of easy running or cross training
Thursday: 20-40 minutes of easy running
Friday: day of rest of lifting light weights
Saturday: 20-40 minutes of easy running
Sunday: 20-40 minutes of easy running or cross training

Finally you will want to keep track of your workouts in a training log. Here you will write down how many minutes you ran or worked out for, and if you have an idea as to how many miles that was you can write that down as well. In the weeks ahead you will be adding in specific weight routines and strength exercises that you will track in your training log as well, but until then you can either do what you have already been doing or rest. You should try to make a note as to how you felt that day, if you were sore from the last run or workout, and then if you are be sure to ease into your next run. This will get you through the first week of training and be sure to keep checking back for both tips and updates as well as the next week of training!

Week 2