Schedule it!

You keep meaning to get a workout in, but suddenly it's 9pm and you are way too tired. Or, you spend so much time debating whether you should go for a run or lift, that you end up not doing either. There are so many excuses not to exercise! But at some point you have to JUST DO IT!

For me, the easiest way to stick to an exercise plan is to schedule it out. You schedule your meetings, you schedule your doctor's appointments, your grocery shopping...why not your exercise? So I not only schedule my exercise, I schedule exactly what exercises I'll be doing (on most days at least). Better yet, at least two days a week I schedule workouts with my husband, so there's more motivation to do them. If you know by canceling you'll disappoint someone else, you are much more likely to do it!

For example, my exercise time is early in the morning. Mornings are when I have the most energy, and the air seems so much cleaner.

My schedule looks like this (keep in mind, fitness is what I do this for a living and I'm my own boss, so I allow myself time off for exercise):

Monday: Bike sprints and strength train
Tuesday: Early morning trail run with my husband
Wednesday: Distance bike ride and strength train
Thursday: Track Run (sprints and bleachers) with my husband
Friday: Trail run (the trail runs are simply because I find it more enjoyable than running on the road and the hills are good training) and strength train
Saturday: Just make sure we do active activities together--a walk, canoe/kayak, laser tag/etc.)
Sunday: Distance run (building up to a half marathon)

By knowing my assignment for each day, I'm able to do it. It brings out the former student in me. Plus, I see improvements (in performance and body composition) each week--which provides further motivation to keep going.

Your schedule doesn't have to look like the one above. Maybe running and biking aren't your cup of tea. Find the activities you enjoy doing, and schedule them into your weekly agenda.

Isn't your health important enough to deserve a meeting on your calendar?

How about a half?

So, what are your goals for 2011? Did you resolve to kick up your running program? Expand beyond the 5k? Or maybe you'd like to ramp up your overall fitness with a day by day program?

One of my clients has decided she would like to run a half marathon, and she asked me if I would run it with her. Mark and I were planning on doing a Spring half anyway, so I said, "Sure!"

We decided to aim for a May marathon, giving her four full months to train. The Capital City Half Marathon in Columbus fit the bill.

So the reason for this post? Well, I thought maybe you'd like to join us! If not in person, maybe you can cyber train with us!

Below I've posted the training schedule I created for us. Follow along, and let me know how you're doing. If you have any questions, please leave a comment or email me at jj@thefitlife.us

It starts the Monday after New Year's! Happy training!

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Jan	1-mile warm-up run Weights – full body Stretch	30 – min run (int) Abs Stretch	1-mile warm-up run Weights – full body Stretch	30 – min run	Warm-up walk (5 min) Weights – upper body, abs Full stretch	3 – mile run (week 1) 3.5 – mile run (week 2) 4 – mile run (week 3) 4.5 – mile run (week 4)	Rest
Feb	1.5 – mile warm-up run Weights – full body Stretch	35-min run (int) Abs Stretch	1.5 mile warm-up run Weights Stretch	35 – min run	Warm-up walk (5 min) Weights – upper body, abs Full stretch	5 – mile run (week 1) 6 - mile run (week 2) 7 - mile run (week 3) 8 – mile run (week 4)	Rest
March	2 – mile warm-up run Weights – full body Stretch	40 min run (int) Abs Stretch	2 – mile warm-up run Weights Stretch	40 – min run	Warm-up walk (5 min) Weights – upper body, abs Full stretch	9 – mile run (week 1) 10 – mile run (week 2) 11 – mile run (week 3) 12 – mile run (week 4)	Rest
April	1 – mile warm-up run Weights – full body Stretch	45 min run Abs Stretch	1 – mile warm-up run Weights Stretch	45 – min run	Warm-up walk Weights – upper body, abs Full stretch	8 – mile run (week 1) 13 – mile run (week 2) 10 – mile run (week 3) 14 – mile run (week 4) 8 – mile run (week 5)	Rest
May	1 – mile warm-up run Light Weights—especially on legs	30 – min easy run Stretch	1-mile warm-up run Easy weights – no legs	30 – min easy run Stretch	Complete stretch	Race Day!	Celebrate!!!