If you want to get yourself in shape as quickly as possible then one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to set a goal that you want to achieve by a certain date. Some people are planning for a vacation where they want to look great in their bathing suit while others get everyone together at work and vow to all reach a target weight together. If you're a fan of running or would like to take up this pastime then one of the things that you can work towards is completing a half marathon. This is something that will take months of commitment but will give you an exciting day when you finally get to the finish line.

A half marathon is 13.1 miles and it is advised that before you take one on that you're able to run about ten to fifteen miles regularly throughout the week. If you're starting from no running experience at all then you can work your way up to doing this in as little as ten weeks if you're committed. You might want to start from jogging home from the art shop that you work out or could set aside three mornings a week where you get up an hour early to go for a run.

When you're building up your running schedule you will want to start small and make sure that you're taking breaks throughout the week. Some people get very exciting about starting their training and are not careful about still taking care of their body. If your regular exercise before was walking to the store to buy movie posters here then you're not going to want to head out the door in your first week expecting to run eight miles. A good place to start is planning to run three miles four days in the week and then four miles on the fifth day. Allow yourself two days of rest a couple of times in the week.

Most people can start building up one more mile to two of their runs each week. If you're running fifteen miles in total on your first week then you might want to set the goal of doing eighteen miles the next week and twenty-two the week after that. Not only will this help you make sure that you're not straining your body too much but it will be easier to fit a longer run into your schedule if you're doing it gradually. It's likely that you already have a busy day working with dental consultants or taking care of the kids and you want to make sure you're not adding too much stress to your life by taking some time every day to fit in your run.

Make sure you're consulting experts when you need them throughout your training process. You should check with your doctor before you start training and might want to see if there is a running club around your home that you can join. Getting tips on everything from the best routes in your neighbourhood to what sneakers are best could make all the difference in the world to your enjoyment of your runs.