RUN | Trainer J's Mathematical Approach to Running for Beginners

Hello fit world!

Welcome back to the Fit Lab. Today's blog post is entitled RUN so of course I will be discussing how to become a runner. As with any fitness exercise, the body is designed to adapt to the stresses that you apply to it. Having said that, running is no different than any other exercise or skill that you would like to become better at doing. All it takes is a little repetition and commitment.

So let's get right to it. Most running programs automatically put you on a particular time interval or distance interval. This approach can work but depending on your level of fitness, this time or distance interval may prove to be too challenging or not challenging enough leaving you no choice but to alter the program that has already been constructed for you. I will help you alleviate the need to do this in my running program by giving you a baseline for your program to fit your fitness level.

Here's what I want you to do. I will use simple math equations to help you get running. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to comment.

Fitness Level Adder: (F)

Beginner / Intermediate: 30 seconds

 Week 1 and Week 2

1. Warmup 5-10 minutes then stretch

2. Determine your baseline

• Start your treadmill at comfortable jogging speed.
• Cover treadmill with towel so that you can't see the time.
• Jog for as long as you can physically can, then uncover and record the time from the treadmill.
• Divide the treadmill time by 2.
• This time will be your baseline jog time which I will call (B) so if you were able to only jog for 6 minutes, your B = 3 minutes. Round to the closest whole minute.

     3. Determine your Goal Jog Time which in this case I will call (G): G = B + F

• Take your baseline jog time B and add the Fitness level Adder from above.
• Taking B from the example above would give you 3 minutes + 30 seconds = 3 minutes 30 seconds. 
• Your Goal Jog Time (G) is now 3.5 minute intervals.
• Your walk interval time will be equal to half of your G rounded to the nearest whole number. 
So in this case, your walk interval time would be 3.5/2 = 1.75. Rounded to the nearest whole number, your walk interval will now be 2 minutes. 

     4. Start using your calculated interval program

         From the example:

• Goal Jog Time = 3.5 minutes
• Walk Interval Time = 2 minutes 

     5. Interval Program Schedule 

• Alternate jogging and walking using your calculated interval times 20-30 minutes every other day for the first 2 weeks.
• After the first 2 weeks, increase your exercise time by 1 day each week until you are utilizing your program 7 days a week. 
• For the more aggressive runner, after your first 2 weeks, you can complete your program every day or as many days that your body will allow without too much soreness.

Note: For those who progress faster than others, add an extra 30 seconds to your calculated Goal Jog Time (G) if you find that it becomes too easy before your two weeks are up. Keep your walk interval the same.

Every 2 weeks, repeat the above steps to calculate your new Goal Jog Time (G). As for your walk interval time, DO NOT recalculate. Start decreasing it by 30 seconds every 2 weeks. If you find that, decreasing 30 seconds is too difficult for you, remain at your baseline walk interval time for another 2 weeks.

This approach is my personal progressive mathematical approach for all who wish to become a runner or increase your current running level. Unlike other programs, it is strictly based on your personal capability. I encourage you all to push yourselves and be consistent every 2 weeks until you have reached your goal for either run distance or run time. 

Remember to keep plenty of water handy so that you remain hydrated. Always warm up then stretch your muscles before you get started. Now go put on your running shoes and get started!


Try it out and share!