“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~ Edward Stanley

Here at A Crazy Idea we truly believe the importance of a balanced and healthy diet as well as regular exercise. Below we have created simple exercise regimes you can follow, either to get you up and active, or running schedules you can follow to get you fit in order to partake at any level in the Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon on December 3, 2011.

Our exercise schedules come in two forms: Beginner walker and Beginner runner and will be updated each week.

Schedule 1

Week 1: August 17 to August 24, 2011

Each week A Crazy Idea will provide a suggested schedule of activity for those individuals who are looking to get a little bit crazy and dwell outside their comfort zone as they prepare for and complete their first Half Marathon (13.1 miles).

Before we go any further we would first like to advise everyone following our program to consult your physicians before starting the fitness routine. Your health is of the utmost importance and not to be neglected. Regular exercise can help control blood glucose levels and body weight. It can reduce the risk of heart disease as well as strengthen bones and muscles and even though moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, is safe for most people, health experts suggest that you talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program.

A typical training programme for this distance is approximately 12 weeks or 84 days. Thankfully you have time on your side as you stride towards the December 3^rd event. By starting now you can build a solid fitness base and have your body well prepared for the event. So here we go.

Week 1:

For walkers I ask that you try to walk with purpose. Keep your head up, chest out and arms engaged for balance, not momentum (i.e. your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and you should not over swing).

For beginning runners the sessions are based on using the run/walk technique. Coach Lisa uses it for my weekly schedules and I’ve experienced vast improvements in my cardiovascular fitness as a result. Each session will begin with 10 minutes of brisk walking or walking with purpose as I like to call it. Followed by intervals of running and walking which will be displayed as 1min/4min. In this case that would mean run for 1 minute followed by 4 minutes of walking with purpose. The session will then finish with 5 minutes of walking to cool down.

If you have any further questions or comments please feel free to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Until next week don’t stop running!

Check out James' article in the Compass this week here:
www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2011/08/18/Crazy-advice-for-marathon-running/