Running is experiencing a surge in popularity, and for women aged 40 and above, a tailored plan can make embarking on this journey feel less daunting. Whether reigniting a past passion or starting anew, many face challenges like joint discomfort or previous fitness hiatuses. To address this, Paizley Longino, a certified running coach, has developed a comprehensive four-week program specifically designed to help women 40+ become stronger runners and gradually increase their mileage.

Before diving into the weekly workouts, Longino provides crucial advice. For cardio sessions involving incline walks, a treadmill is highly recommended. It allows for accurate incline control and minimizes distractions from external elements like animals, cars, or people, helping maintain focus. For flat road workouts, venturing outdoors to a track or trail offers the benefits of fresh air and sunshine. Baseline incline levels are set at three percent for easy to moderate walks and warm-ups. For leveling up, aim for four to six percent, and for steep inclines, challenge yourself with six to eight percent. It's also a good time to consider if you need new running shoes.

The plan also integrates strength training, which is vital for building muscle, improving recovery, and enhancing endurance. When selecting weights, ensure they provide a challenge by the end of the recommended repetitions. For exercises targeting shoulders and arms, such as hammer curls and dumbbell curls, light to medium dumbbells (seven to ten pounds) are generally a good starting point. For larger muscle groups like hamstrings and quads, involved in squats and deadlifts, heavier weights of ten pounds or more are suggested. Longino advises increasing weight by about five pounds each week, but always prioritize listening to your body and assessing how you feel after each set.

Week 1: Building Foundations

Day 1 kicks off with a 30-minute incline walk, designed to challenge breathing and engage quad muscles. Participants should vary inclines to learn their limitations, setting cautious but consistent and reachable goals. Day 2 focuses on upper-body strength with three sets of resistance band bicep curls (10-12 reps), resistance band anchored lat pulldowns (10-12 reps), banded pull-aparts (10-12 reps), and dumbbell overhead situps (10 reps). Day 3 is dedicated to stretching, crucial for muscle recovery and flexibility, suggesting either a four-move routine or a 20-minute yoga flow. Day 4 increases cardio intensity with a 45-minute incline walk, encouraging participants to level up their incline percentage from Day 1, with intervals of five to seven minutes at three to five percent incline, followed by up to 90 seconds of rest. Day 5 targets lower-body strength with three sets of bodyweight squat pulses (15 reps), dumbbell deadlifts (10 reps), alternating forward lunges (10 reps per side), and butterfly situps (15 reps). Day 6 is a challenging 60-minute incline walk, involving a cycle of four minutes at three percent incline, 60 seconds of flat walking recovery, one minute at one percent incline, and another 60 seconds of flat recovery, repeating and increasing the incline by 0.5 to one percent each cycle. Day 7 is a full rest day, emphasizing its importance for recovery and well-being.

Week 2: Introducing Jogging

Day 1 transitions into a 30-minute incline walk/jog, alternating four minutes of walking at three percent (or higher) incline, one minute of flat road walking, four minutes of light jogging on a flat road, and one minute of recovery walking, repeated for three sets. Day 2 continues upper-body strength with three sets of alternating hammer curls (20 reps), dumbbell gorilla rows (16 reps), wide dumbbell curls (10 reps), and forearm plank hip dips (20 reps). Day 3 is a 30-40 minute stretching session, focusing on shoulders, back, and hamstrings, with foam rolling for muscle tension relief. Day 4 escalates to a 40-minute incline walk/jog, similar to Day 1 but at a quicker pace, completing four sets to maintain movement for the full duration. Day 5 focuses on lower-body strength with three sets of dumbbell front squats (12 reps), dumbbell heel elevated goblet squats (10 reps), dumbbell split squats (20 reps), and lying alternating toe touches (20 reps). Day 6 concludes the week with a 50-minute incline walk/jog. Option 1 involves seven rounds of six minutes walking at three percent (or higher) incline followed by one minute of flat road walking. Option 2 involves seven rounds of six minutes jogging at a steady pace (zero incline) followed by one minute of walking recovery (zero incline). Day 7 is another full rest day.

Week 3: Increasing Intensity and Volume

Day 1 features a 36-minute incline walk/jog, alternating four minutes of walking at three percent incline (or higher if calves aren't challenged), four minutes of jogging at an incline, and one minute of brisk flat walk recovery, repeated for four rounds. Day 2 involves four sets of upper-body strength exercises: resistance band standing anchored chest presses (10 reps), resistance band standing frontal raises (12 reps), dumbbell upright rows (12 reps), and dolphin planks (12 reps). Day 3 recommends 30-40 minutes of stretching, incorporating various yoga poses held for 30-second increments. Day 4 is a 40-minute incline walk/jog, consistent with the previous week, consisting of four rounds of four minutes walk at three percent incline, one minute flat road recovery, four minutes jog (at the same or better pace), and one minute walking recovery. Day 5 returns to upper-body strength with four sets of dumbbell bicep curls (10 reps), cable lat pulldowns (12 reps), banded pull-aparts (12 reps), and dumbbell overhead situps (10 reps). Day 6 offers a 56-minute choose-your-adventure cardio workout. Option 1 is seven rounds of seven minutes walking at six to eight percent incline followed by one minute of walking recovery. Option 2 is seven rounds of seven minutes running/jogging at zero incline followed by one minute of walking recovery. Day 7 is a full rest day to prepare for the final week.

Week 4: Consolidating Progress

Day 1 challenges participants with a 55-minute jog/walk. If previously walking, begin jogging; if jogging, try running. The workout involves five rounds of a six-minute jog or run, one minute recovery walk, three minutes faster jog or run, and one minute recovery. Day 2 focuses on upper-body strength with four sets of alternating dumbbell hammer curls (10 reps), gorilla rows (16 reps), dumbbell wide bicep curls (10 reps), and forearm plank hip dips (12 reps). Day 3 involves 20-30 minutes of stretching, including yoga poses held for 30 seconds and foam rolling for leg soreness. Day 4 aims for a 30-minute active incline walk/run workout, where the goal is to maintain a jog or challenging incline walk. This involves five rounds of five minutes walking at six to eight percent incline OR a quicker speed run, followed by one minute of slower jog/run or lower incline walk, without full recovery on speed or incline. Day 5 reinforces lower-body strength with four sets of dumbbell squats (12 reps), dumbbell deadlifts (12 reps), alternating forward lunges (20 reps), and butterfly situps (15 reps). Day 6 is a 'Choose Your Workout' day, encouraging individuals to select their favorite cardio day from the past four weeks, adding speed and time, and using it as an opportunity to review and conquer short-term and long-term running goals. Day 7 is a full rest and celebration day. After completing the plan, individuals can repeat the four-week cycle, adjusting cardio workouts by incorporating more jogging segments or reducing rest times, ultimately preparing them to hit trails confidently.