Who Can Be a Better Coach Than You?

Most people have enough insight to design their own program if they take a few things into consideration. First, pick a routine that works with your lifestyle--primarily time and interest are the most important components. You need to work with your schedule limitations and your desired activity to produce results. Keep your objectives in mind and write the plan down to maintain consistency. Second, adjust your intensity as needed, depending on your goals. Maintaining fitness is a different goal than running a 10-K in under 30 minutes, so make sure your intensity matches your goals. Third, log your workouts so you can evaluate progress over time as well as identify the best strategies to keep as well as the ones to lose. Fourth, be able to adjust to changing circumstances such as injuries, unplanned time commitments, or family obligations. Develop alternative workouts that cover the spectrum of possible obstacles to your normal routine. Finally, evaluate your progress over time by establishing a number of objective criteria (running time, health indicators, better sleep) and see if you are improving. If you aren't making the improvements you hoped for try gathering additional knowledge or information. This may mean ultimately seeking professional coaching but you will have already set a foundation that can be easily built upon with help.