Anyone Can Run!

It's been a busy day for me, so I'm just writing a quick note to let everyone know what's to come in my next series- your FITTEST run yet!  I received a special request from a reader that is interested in training for his first race, but doesn't know where to start.  Below is his note and a preview of what to expect from the upcoming series.

"Dear FITTEST,

I'm thinking about training for a 10K, but I've never raced before.  I don't currently work out, but I'd like to (sort of a resolution).  I'm a healthy weight and not in particularly bad shape.  Where do I begin?  What should I do to train?  Will I be able to train for a 10K in 2 months?  (The race is in March).

Thanks for your help,

Newbie in UK"

Let me just say, thank you Newbie for reaching out and letting me help you train for your very first race!  A 10k is a very exciting goal... And definitely one that is achievable in 2 months with the right amount of effort and perseverance.  I've decided to make this a many-part series instead of one quick response, because I think there are lots of folks out there that would like to try a race and don't know where to begin; also, there's a lot more more that goes into prepping for a race than just running a lot!  

Over the next 2 weeks I'll be covering: training schedules, cross training, resistance work, stretches, nutrition, & more... All for runners.  

At the moment, Newbie and anyone else who'd like to participate, your homework is to try a 5K (3.1 mile) run/jog/walk tomorrow and record your time.  It doesn't matter if you can run consistently the entire time or not, just jot down your time and divide it by 3 to determine your approximate starting mile pace.  On Friday I'll be providing customized training schedules based on your mile pace, so come prepared!

Have fun hoofing it,

Sarah