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Start The New Year Off Right.

© Lynn Seely

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A lot of you have written me lamenting the lack of motivation and exercise during the holidays. You asked for some tips on how to get started again.

You said you've gained some weight over the holidays. You haven't run in weeks and you don't know how to get started again.

What to do?

Well, one thing about this being the new year is that a lot of people make new year resolutions. And that is a great way to start off the new year.

That is - as long as you follow through on them.

Here are a few easy ways to get back into the routine of running.

Make a list. Yes - you should actually get out a piece of paper and make a list. Or if you prefer a computer generated list, that is fine too, but be sure to print it out.

The first thing you should write down is where you want to be in six months. Now I don't mean what area of the world, but rather, where do you hope to be as a runner? What race or goal do you have in mind?

Maybe you will write; run 5 K in mid-July for example. You should have a specific goal. That should be your focus as you get back into the routine of running.

The next step and the next item on your list should be how often you should run. A safe approach to that is three times per week, and use the walk-run method. Trust me. If you haven't run for a while and have even gained weight, then this is the best way to get started, lose weight and not over stress your body while you do this.

The third item is how long and how much running and walking? Well, again that depends on you, but a safe approach would be to walk 10 minutes and run 2 or 3 unless you've only been away from running for a short time. Repeat that up to 30 minutes making sure to walk slowly the last 5 minutes.

The main idea here is to develop the HABIT of running again, and you can use the walk-run method to make the transition easier.

I realize the information here is very general, and I realize all of you need to have an individual program. But unless you are brand new to running, you should be able to use your own judgment and decided all the

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