Many people before they arrive at Reboot Boot Camp think they are unable to run, when the truth of the matter is that our bodies are built to run. They were not made to sit around all day at the computer or on the sofa in front of the telly. Most people at some time in their life have decided to go for a run, they get all the gear on and step outside the front door not knowing how far they plan to run, what speed they intend to run at or how long the run is going to take. They start running down the street at the speed of a gazelle to get to the end of the road feeling like they are going to die of a heart attack and quickly return home hoping that no one saw them. This is evidence enough for them that they cannot run.
This is the advice we give them at boot camp and you can try it for yourselfÂ…
- Sit down and plan a route, please make sure it is achievable, know the general area of the halfway point.
- Work out how long the run might take; if it is your first run for a long time then a short route around the block that lasts about 10 minutes is ample.
- Walk outside your front door and continue walking for about 100m then break into a gentle jog no faster than your walking pace.
- When you arrive at the halfway point evaluate the situation Â… should I slow down to ensure I get home and continue running or could I increase the pace slightly as this is far too easy?
- When you are about 100m away from your house begin to walk again and continue walking until your breathing returns to normal.
- Stretch out the major muscles in your legs, drink a large glass of water and write how long it took you in your training diary whilst giving yourself a well deserved pat on the back.
As you find the run gets easier increase the distance by going round the same route twice. Your first goal is to jog for 60 minutes – this may take a week or six months to achieve but it will happen. When you have built your run up to 60 minutes you measure your distance and then repeat this run at least once a week. When you manage to get your time down to 55 minutes increase the distance by approximately 1 km and continue to repeat the process.
It really is that simple and we have had many success stories at Reboot Boot Camp through following these simple steps. So give it a try and we hope it works for you.
