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Making the commitment

An important step is simply deciding to go for it…

You should be feeling excited right now. The start of every journey brings with it that mixed feeling of apprehension and anticipation about what is to come and this 12-week journey should be no different. Bottle that feeling you have of being on the verge of something new and whip it out if your enthusiasm levels ever start to wane over the next few weeks. You are on the verge of something new so enjoy the excitement.

The next important step you need to take is to make a commitment. To some degree you have done that already because you have bought the book and have decided to go for it. But there is a big difference between thinking something yourself and telling others what you plan to do. Once you’ve told other people you are about to start training for a 5 km race the ‘idea is out of the bag’ and it is harder to give up or stop halfway. So none of those half-hearted efforts where you think you, “Might try a few days and see how it goes”. That sort of thinking is doomed to failure.

YOUR AIM THIS WEEK

Is to make a public declaration to run a 5 km race in 12 weeks. Go on, get out there and tell the world what you intend to do.

You’ve decided to go for it already so now is the time to share it. After all, once you’ve told everyone about your plans there is no turning back is there?

WEEK ONE: YOUR TRAINING PROGRAMME AND DIARY

		YOUR DAILY NOTES
MON	Tell five people you plan to run a 5 km race. This might not be as easy as it sounds but be positive and upbeat.
TUE	Rest. What a nice easy start to the programme, eh?
WED	20 mins brisk walk. Walk faster than strolling pace but don’t push yourself; remember this is the first step towards 5 km.
THU	Rest. What could be easier? Bet you’re wondering why you put this exercise thing off for so long now.
FRI	30 mins brisk walk. As with before, this is all about getting started so keep your pace nice and easy, but a bit more than a stroll.
SAT	Rest. You might be feeling enthusiastic but don’t be tempted to do another walk at this stage. Rest is important.
SUN	Rest or stretching. Spend a few minutes stretching out your muscles. Tomorrow you start for real so you will want to keep loose.

THIS WEEK

	DO – Take it easy at this stage as this part of the programme is just about getting started.
	CONSIDER – What footwear you have at the moment and if it is appropriate for the longer work on the programme.
	DON’T – Set yourself any targets yet, just enjoy the fact that you are doing something positive.

REWARD

Enjoy the spotlight and tell your friends how the first week went.

Choose at least five friends, family or colleagues who you will tell about your plan to run 5 km. Don’t become an instant office bore by bursting in wearing your new fitness clothing and carrying a healthy snack for lunch (although feel free to wave this fine book around, of course). Simply wait for the right time and slip it into the conversation.

“What did I do this weekend? Oh, I bought a new book and have decided to train for a 5 km race.” “What am I doing this week? Well, I am about to start training for a 5 km race.” That sort of thing.

Be prepared for a mixed response, especially when your news spreads on the gossip grapevine. Some people will congratulate you, others will raise their eyebrows and certain people may even laugh. Don’t let this put you off one bit; in fact use these responses to spur you on this week. Pick at least one person who you feel sure will encourage you in your plans but don’t avoid those who may give you negative feedback – that usually comes because those people are jealous they are not doing it or fearful they couldn’t do it.

To some of you this will sound worse than actually starting the training itself but that’s exactly why you need to do it. Of course, if you absolutely cannot face telling another soul then it shouldn’t mean you should stop right now. It is possible to do this in secret but people who share their plans out loud are much more likely to follow them through to the end, which is due to a mixture of wanting to display success to others and a fear of being viewed as a failure. Smokers who tell friends they are giving up display determination and are much more likely to succeed than those who don’t and it’s the same with anything else, including this 12-week programme.

50

Is the number of minutes you will be exercising this week. This is probably less than the time you might spend having a coffee with a friend or even watching your favourite television programme. Not a lot when you think of it like that is it? Make sure you find the time for exercise just as you would any other activity.

Women doing enough exercise

Only 24 per cent of women (37 per cent of men) in the UK do enough exercise according to government health guidelines. Well done, you are on your way to joining the minority!

The figures show just how easy it is for most people to fall into the trap of not keeping fit. Remind yourself of this if you ever feel like giving up in the coming weeks. (1)

So day one is simple enough, if a little daunting for some. The rest of the week is really all about shaking off those exercise cobwebs with a few very short walks and stretches. You may feel you’re fit enough or be excited enough to hit the road straight away; after all walks are for old people with dogs right? But stick to it. Don’t worry, you’ve got 12 weeks and plenty of time to sprint past your neighbour’s house with a grin on your face.

Just use this first week as a way of getting moving again with ‘planned’ exercise. You probably do a fair bit of walking in your daily life already – to the shops, the bus stop, down the pub and so on – but these are all ad hoc activities. Informal exercise like this is important, and will even be incorporated into the next 12 weeks, but having a session planned, even a walk, means you will be less likely to miss it. You will also get that buzz from having ‘done something’.

that’s it!

	Week one completed
	You’ve made your commitment to run a 5 km race in 12 weeks public by telling five other people. This is an important step. No keeping your plans secret now!
	You’ve got out of that armchair and done some exercise. It might be the first time you’ve followed a programme or maybe it’s just been a long break, but you have made that all-important start.
	You’ve probably rediscovered that childlike enthusiasm for exercise again. Enjoy it because it’s a great feeling and a great thing to tap into should you feel your energy levels waning in the coming weeks.
	You should have woken up after exercising feeling good about yourself. You’ve done something positive so you will be feeling positive mentally as well as physically now you’ve got started.