There are some of us who love it and some of us who hate it: jogging…or however you would like to refer to it. Many of us just can’t get ourselves to jog, even though it is a great cardiovascular workout.

I used to be an avid soccer play; live, eat, breathe, soccer. However, once I realized I was never going to make it to the World Cup, I decided to just play it for fun, and usually only when I had down time. I used to always be in shape; yet, over the years I have seen my body let go from the effects of exercising “whenever I get the chance.” This means that playing soccer a couple times a week just is not enough to keep my girlish figure.

Since I don’t regularly partake in my favorite sport anymore, my new passion is jogging. I found that doing it on a regular basis can is a challenge for me, and I am a huge fan of challenges. If I don’t have a soccer ball at my feet, running is a chore for me. I have been working on building my endurance, training myself to run further each time at a set amount of time.

If you are like me and see jogging as an unpleasant task, I can tell you baby steps are what has gotten me out there everyday. You cannot expect to become a marathon runner overnight; it takes time, dedication, and progress.

With that said, here is my crash course, which could possibly train you for your first 5K run (roughly three miles).

 Jogging 101, Lesson One: The Run/Walk Method

If you have not heard of it, the run/walk method is an easy way to build yourself up on your distance and time. It is an alternation of segments of running and walking.

1. Start off with a warm-up, which could be a fast-paced five minute walk.
2. After your warm-up, do an alternation of running and walking. For beginners you can start off with one minute running, and seven minutes walking.
3. Keep repeating this method until you have made your goal time, such as 24 minutes, which would be a 1:7 ratio for three cycles.
4. As you continue this routine, add more time to your running and less time on walking.

It may take a couple months, but if you are moderately in shape, you can easily get to running up to 30 minutes a day by training with the run/walk method. As you increase the amount of time you run with the alternation between walking, within a couple months, you should be able to run continuously. To increase your endurance and fitness, run for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. 

If you do not think you have enough motivation to continue on this routine solo, ask a couple friends to join you. I go running with my roommates a couple times a week and we help push each other. Also, I try to change up the scenery a bit; I run somewhere different each time, so it does not get repetitive.

The uniqueness about running is that you can do it anywhere and it is an all-over body work out.

Make running fun by challenging yourself and setting different goals for your time and distance. You may benefit in an overall improved physique and fitness.

Photo credits: MarthaStewart.com and prevention.com