If you are capable of walking 30 consecutive minutes, you can slowly incorporate running into your routine. The idea is to build each week with a little more running and not attempt too much, too soon.
Too many people start a program that is too difficult to maintain and have trouble making it a habit because they are unable to keep up. Aim for a running pace that is slightly faster than your walk.
Make sure to always incorporate the walk portion before the run to increase your heart rate slowly and warm up your muscles.
4 weeks to running 5 minutes consecutively:
[table]
Day,Run/Walk
1,Walk 15 min, Run 1 min, Walk 14 min,,
2,Walk 30 min,,,,
3,Rest,,,,
4,Walk 10 min, Run 1 min, Walk 9 min, Run 1 min, Walk 9 min
5,Rest,,,,
6,Walk 30 min,,,,
7,Walk 10 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min,Run 1 min, Walk 9 min
8,Rest,,,,
9,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 9 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min
10,Rest,,,,
11,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 9 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min
12,Walk 30 min,,,,
13,Rest,,,,
14,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 8 min
15,Walk 30 min,,,,
16,Rest,,,,
17,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 7 min
18,Walk 10 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min
19,Rest,,,,
20,Walk 30 min,,,,
21,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 6 min
22,Walk 30 min,,,,
23,Rest,,,,
24,Walk 9 min,Run 4 min,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 5 min
25,Walk 9 min,Run 2 min,Walk 9 min,Run 1 min,Walk 9 min
26,Rest,,,,
27,Walk 30 min,,,,
28,Walk 9 min,Run 5 min,Walk 8 min,Run 3 min,Walk 5 min
[/table]
3 more weeks to running 10 minutes consecutively:
[table]
Day,Run/Walk
29,Rest,,,,
30,Walk 30 min,,,,
31,Walk 9 min,Run 6 min,Walk 7 min,Run 4 min,Walk 4 min
32,Rest,,,,
33,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 9 min,Run 3 min,Walk 6 min
34,Walk 30 min,,,,
35,Rest,,,,
36,Walk 9 min,Run 7 min,Walk 6 min,Run 4 min,Walk 4 min
37,Walk 9 min,Run 4 min,Walk 9 min,Run 4 min, Walk 4 min
38,Rest,,,,
39,Walk 30 min,,,,
40,Walk 9 min,Run 8 min,Walk 5 min,Run 4 min,Walk 4 min
41,Rest,,,,
42,Walk 9 min,Run 7 min,Walk 6 min,Run 4 min,Walk 4 min
43,Walk 30 min,,,,
44,Rest,,,,
45,Walk 9 min,Run 9 min,Walk 6 min,Run 3 min,Walk 3 min
46,Walk 30 min,,,,
47,Rest,,,,
48,Walk 10 min,Run 10 min,Walk 10 min,,
[/table]
Carissa Liebowitz has run the Boston Marathon as well as dozens of marathons and half marathons. You can follow her running adventures on Strava, Instagram and her blog.
