Training is the best form of motivation

It's proven that if you schedule your exercise like a meeting or other commitment, you are more likely to stick with an exercise routine. I know this is true for me. If you give me a training schedule, I will complete it and even feel guilty when I miss a day of training. It makes me work hard toward a goal. I enjoy hanging the schedule on my fridge and marking each day off with a highlighter. I've used this method for training for my two 5ks.

I decided that 2010 would indeed include a 10k. I used Active.com to find the Oak Island Lighthouse 10k and decided it would be perfect and close to home.



I started looking for a training schedule and had heard a lot of love for Jeff Galloway's method of training. He stresses taking walk breaks periodically to avoid injury and burn out. I know that I have to take them occasionally because of my knees and because I'm just a beginning runner. So his method sounds great to me. I also like that his training schedules are devised to help you stay injury free. I'm a klutz by nature and injury prone as it is, so anything that can help me avoid injury is a plus!

His 10k training plan is a 13 week plan, when I looked at the calendar I realized that to have the training completed in time for the 10k, I would have to start on Monday, which works out perfectly because, obviously, I'm finished training for the OIB Run for Food.

So here it is, my Lighthouse 10k Training Schedule which will be hung on the fridge as soon as I get home today.



For me, training is the best form of motivation. This week I am going to try and focus on non-running activities. Do some elliptical, bike and weights...maybe even a little indoor swimming. Next week it starts back again...granted on my cross training days I'll be free for other activities, but my focus will be running. I am excited to see what I can do!