Couch to 5k in 9 weeks

Back in December I posted a link to my article in Inside Brighton & Hove Magazine that gave some hints on some simple changes we can make to increase our daily activity. For those of you who have found this achievable and would like to push yourselves a little further, NHS Choices have a series of podcasts on iTunes that get you from couch potato to 5k runner in just 9 weeks.

Here's what NHS Choices have to say about their running plan, "NHS Couch to 5K":

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This is a running plan designed to get complete beginners from couch potato to running 5k (or 30 minutes) in nine weeks. It is: - Achievable - starting with a mix of running and walking and building up slowly - Virtually free - all you need is a decent pair of trainers and an MP3 player (a regular mobile phone will do) - Easy - a motivating 'personal trainer' tells you exactly when to stop and start. The plan sets three runs per week with a day of rest between each run.

If you are not used to exercising regularly, you might feel you have achy muscles a day or two after training, usually in the thighs, calves and shins; these are normal and should soon ease off as your body gets used to the activity. Listen to your body - if you have any pains that do not feel like the normal ache of exercised muscles, speak to a doctor or osteopath for advice or further investigation.

If you complete the 5k challenge and decide you want to pursue improving your fitness further, you might want to consider consulting a personal trainer for a personalised fitness plan. For Brighton & Hove residents, I highly recommend Tegan Simmonds of FitAz Personal Training.

You can call Tegan on 07786 546063 or email tegan.simmonds@fitaz.co.uk for further information.

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