Beginner Runner
This program is for individuals who have not run at all, not run for a long time, run just a little, or run at a beginner level and would like to start out slow. If you are a consistent runner or if you find this program to not be challenging enough for you, try timing your runs and work on setting a faster pace for yourself!
Monday
Today is your first day of this eight week program! Congratulations! You may be feeling a bit nervous and maybe even scared but don’t be. This will be a great experience for you! You will be running and walking tomorrow for an hour, so today I don’t want you to do any strenuous activity that will cause soreness. I would like you to get outside in your running shoes and alternate walking and jogging for about 20 minutes, if you have a gym membership and would rather do this on a treadmill that works too. Your goal is to keep your heart rate up and to just get moving! At the end of your run/walk I want you to stretch for about 10 minutes holding your stretches for 30 seconds.
Tuesday
Group run tonight for paid participants in the Ridge running group. See you tonight at 6 pm! It’s supposed to be about 60 degrees with a chance of rain so come prepared! Those of you who are not in the running group I would like you to get outside or use a treadmill you may have at home. Your goal is to start out with a 10 minute walking warm-up. You are just trying to get your muscles warm for our workout so walk fast enough to increase your body temperature. After the ten minutes warm up, you will walk one minute jog one minute for about 35 minutes. After you are finished alternating walking and jogging, I want you to cool down for about 10 minutes. Your ten minute cool down is a slower pace. You’re trying to get your heart rate back down. Now stretch for 10 minutes holding your stretches for about 30 seconds.
Wednesday
You may be sore from yesterday so, I want you to take it easier today. The weather is supposed to be sunny with a high of 72 degrees! I would like you to do 30 minutes of exercise. This can be on an elliptical, going for a walk, a bike ride, or a hike. You are just focusing on getting yourself moving to prevent further soreness. At the end of your workout remember to stretch for ten minutes holding each stretch for 30 seconds!
Thursday
Yesterday was a break day for your body. Today is supposed to be partly cloudy with a high of 70 degrees. Today I want you to do some sort of strength training mixed in with cardio and resistance. For the first 10 minutes of your workout I want you to walk to warm up. Next I want you to do an interval workout alternating 2 minutes of walking with 2 minutes of jogging for 20 minutes total. After you are done I want you to cool down for 5 minutes. When you get back home or if you are at the gym I want you to find a place on a wall where you can do some wall sits alternating with pushups. You will start with a wall sit then do one set of pushups and keep alternating until you have completed all four sets! Remember to stretch when your workout is completed!
Proper wall sit form (Do four wall sits holding the first two for 30 seconds and the last two for 45 seconds) 
Proper push up form (you will do 15 pushups each set for a total of 4 sets)
Friday
Today is another light day. The weather is supposed to be rainy with a high of 60 degrees so it may be harder for you to get outside. If you can I want you to get out and be active for 30 minutes. You may choose to ride a bike, walk, hike or go to the gym and use the elliptical. Whatever it is that you choose, I want you to focus on getting your heart rate up and sweating a little. Start your activity with a 10 minutes warm up and end it with a 5 minute cool down!
Saturday
You have almost made it through your first week of exercise! Today will be sunny with a high of 66 degrees! Get outside and move! I want you to do another interval training day. For the first 10 minutes of your workout I want you to walk to warm up. Next I want you to do an interval workout alternating 2 minutes of walking with 2 minutes of jogging for 20 minutes total. I really want you to push your self today. You have tomorrow completely off so work hard today! After you are done I want you to cool down for 5 minutes. At the end of your workout I would like you to work on some core strengthening.
Proper form for oblique crunch (Do two sets of 20 alternating with the basic crunch)
Proper form for Basic Crunch (do 2 sets of 15)
Sunday
You worked hard this week! Take the day off!!!!