Here it is again - that familiar feeling that notoriously finds its way back to most JHU students at this time of year. I, of course, am no exception. Spring Fair comes around; I eat like a slob and drink anything I can get my hands on. Then on Sunday, during my weekend hangover, I sit around and re-evaluate my life. Yes, it's socially the best weekend at Hopkins, you're only in college once, and can you say "Beer Garden"? But even after all of these justifications, I still feel guilty about completely destroying my body in every possible way. After some moderate vomiting and some half-naked posing in the mirror, I am shocked and disgusted at what my body has become over the past semester, at midterm time, spring break, and now Spring Fair. I ask myself: "Do I really want to live like this?"
Along with being at an all-time low in my physical fitness, today sparked the most incredible rush of motivation to lift harder and start the dreaded cardiovascular routine for the quickly approaching summer. This is the year to step it up a notch. I am not going to lie - my motivation to do cardio has always been my weakest quality. To combat my lack of respect for the stationary bike and indoor track, I have decided to start a jogging routine and train for a 10K (about 6.2 miles) race two months from now. I know millions of people start a jogging routine and never finish it. I truly believe the main reason for this turnoff is that, when first starting to jog, most of us tend to dive in head-first without first testing how deep the water is. To assist in my training, I've consulted a site called http://www.CoolRunning.com - they have a lot of great tips for runners of all types, including couch potato runners (the group in which I classify myself).
A friend of mine who has experience in the running field (i.e., marathons and the like) referred me to CoolRunning and their program. He said this particular program would "transform your body into a machine that can pump out three miles a day...easy."
Having an actual cardio or jogging plan to follow sounded very appealing. So let the race begin! CoolRunning recommends that beginners start with a three-days-per-week routine in which the majority of the first three to four weeks consists mainly of walking for a certain amount of time or distance, and slowly incorporating jogging during the walk. I have been doing some cardiovascular exercise, and therefore hold myself in slightly better shape than the average couch potato, so starting off on week five of nine suited me best. You should do the same - find that week that you fall under.
The article published with the workout says, "It's easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. Don't try to do more, even if you feel you can." Although this is good general advice to follow, it's a little extreme. I would recommend skipping the walking if you know you are in good physical condition, meaning you can play a game or two of basketball without collapsing. If you are unsure of your cardiovascular condition, consult your physician, and keep the first few weeks of walking.
Week Five has fully incorporated jogging into the three-day-a-week program and seems like a good starting point for athletic non-joggers. As advised by http://www.coolrunning.com, if you find the program too strenuous, stretch it out and repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you feel ready. The daily program should take about 20-30 minutes. Try to space out the three workouts throughout the week so you don't get too sick of the running. I suggest you run on your off-day of lifting around mid week, on Sunday morning to get yourself ready for a full day of homework, and then one other day, either Thursday or Friday, whichever you prefer. The workout from http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml has been duplicated below. Try it out; you'll have a six-pack in no time.
Week 1: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes
Week 2: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes
Week 3: Brisk five minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
- jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
- walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
- jog 400 yards (or three minutes)
- walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
Week 4: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- jog 1/4 mile (or three minutes)
- walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Week 5: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
- walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Week 6: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
- walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
Week 7: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes)
Week 8: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes)
Week 9: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then job 3 miles (or 30 minutes)
