Walking is a great way of getting fit and it is so easy to do. Why not choose a 10km fun walk in which you can compete at the end of the year?

Tips:

• Walk briskly, so that if you were chatting to a friend it would be a somewhat "breathless" conversation.
• Choose safe areas in which to walk and don’t walk in the dark.
• Carry a "self-defence" type spray and preferably walk with a friend.
• Measure your heart rate in the middle of your walk, and then immediately afterwards (click here for instructions on how to do this).
• Stretch immediately after your walk, whilst your muscles are still warm.

Tip for monitoring progress
Mark out a 5km route that is flat and doesn’t have too many roads to cross. Walk this as fast as you can and use this time as your base to which you compare all future walks on this route. Whenever instructed to do a fast 5km, do it along this route, walking it as fast as you can. Keep track of your time and see if it improves as you progress.

Note:

• Your walks are initially measured in time not distance, so you might choose to do "out and back" walks (half the time out, then return along the same route).
• In week 1 – 8, you will do 3 walks per week; thereafter try to add in the 4th session.
• The fast 5km walks start in week 11.