Distance Training Program:

For measuring purposes, it’s best to do these workouts on a track, which is usually 400 meters, or about 1/4 of a mile. Each workout will have the track equivalent, so you know how far you should be running and walking. A treadmill is also a good option because you’ll be able to see exactly how far you’re running or walking. If you find that the program progresses too quickly for you, you can repeat a week before moving on to the next week.

Before you Run:

  1. Do about 5-10 minutes of light aerobic exercise (like jogging or biking) to loosen up your muscles and warm you up for your run. Try walking briskly, marching, jogging slowly, or cycling on a stationary bike. Make sure you don’t rush your warm-up.
  2. Begin your run. Don’t start out racing, but instead jog slowly and gradually build up your speed. You should be breathing very easily. If you feel yourself getting out of breath, slow down.
  3. After you finish your run, cool down by walking or slowly jogging for 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stretch fully after your cool down. Your body should be warm and stretching should be easy.
  5. Stretch your lower back, neck, calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and groin area. Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

Do Runners Need Rest Days?

  1. One of the biggest misconceptions among runners who want to get faster is that they should run every day. In reality, the body actually needs rest days to recover and repair muscles to get stronger. So, if you run every day without taking days off, you won’t see much improvement.
  2. Running puts a lot of stress on your joints, and taking rest days will give your joints a chance to recover from all that pounding. It’s also good to take a mental break from running, so you don’t lose motivation by running every day.
  3. Most runners need at least one, even two, days off from running and other exercise. Research has shown that taking at least one day off a week reduces the frequency of overuse injuries, such as shin splints and stress fractures. Even the most elite runners take rest days, although rest days for them usually involve a low-impact cross-training activity, such as swimming. Those types of cross-training days are considered to be rest days because they give the joints and muscles you use in running a break.

Week 1

This week’s workouts:

  • Day 1: Run 1/16 mile, walk 3/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/4 of a lap, walk 3/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 2: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 3: Run 1/16 mile, walk 3/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/4 of a lap, walk 3/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 4: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 5: Run 1/16 mile, walk 3/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/4 of a lap, walk 3/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 6: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 7: Rest from training and Play

Week 2

This week’s workouts:

  • Day 1: Run 1/8 mile, walk 1/8 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/2 a lap, walk 1/2 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 2: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 3: Run 1/8 mile, walk 1/8 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/2 a lap, walk 1/2 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 4: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 5: Run 1/8 mile, walk 1/8 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 1/2 a lap, walk 1/2 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 6: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 7: Rest from training and Play

Week 3

This week’s workouts:

  • Day 1:Run 3/16 mile, walk 1/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 3/4 a lap, walk 1/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 2: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 3:Run 3/16 mile, walk 1/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 3/4 a lap, walk 1/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 4: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 5:Run 3/16 mile, walk 1/16 mile – repeat 4 times (Track equivalent: Run 3/4 a lap, walk 1/4 of a lap – repeat 4 times)
  • Day 6: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 7: Rest from training and Play

Week 4

This is your final week of this training program. Keep up the good work — you’re doing great! You’ll be running one mile by the end of the week. Congrats!

This week’s workouts:

  • Day 1:Run 1 mile (Track equivalent: 4 laps = 1 mile)
  • Day 2: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 3:Run 1 mile (Track equivalent: 4 laps = 1 mile)
  • Day 4: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 5:Run 1 mile (Track equivalent: 4 laps = 1 mile)
  • Day 6: Rest from training and Play
  • Day 7: Rest from training and Play

Time Focused Training Program:

The following four-weeks-to-fitness program begins with daily four-minute runs. Each Friday, the time (and distance) increases. Tuesdays and Thursdays are designed as a speed day with the time split in half. On Tuesdays, encourage the child to go farther in the second run than the first. On Thursdays, have the child run the first and stop; then after a rest, run back faster and try to run past the start/finish line. Do all workouts on a track or in some area without traffic. The final Friday run in Week 4 could be a 1-mile race, those dreaded four laps on a track that seemed so imposing on Day 1. Walking in any of the workouts or in the final test itself is acceptable.

Week / Mon / Tue / Wed / Thu / Fri / WEEKEND
1 / 4:00 / 2 x 3:00 / 4:00 / 2 x 3:00 / 6:00 / PLAY
2 / 6:00 / 2 x 4:00 / 6:00 / 2 x 4:00 / 8:00 / PLAY
3 / 8:00 / 2 x 5:00 / 8:00 / 2 x 5:00 / 10:00 / PLAY
4 / 10:00 / 2 x 6:00 / 10:00 / 2 x 6:00 / 12:00 / PLAY