Get Moving for Texas’ Million Mile Month in April

Are you joining the movement to battle obesity in Texas? On April 1, Texas’ Million Mile Month (MMM) gets off the ground. It’s a free, 30-day challenge for the entire state to log 1,000,000 miles of exercise and generate $1,000,000 for programs through Cyberways and Waterways, a nonprofit dedicated to making kids and their communities smarter and healthier.

Why a month? Studies have shown that it takes at least 18 days to create new habits. Whatever your pace, whatever the sport (running, cycling, walking, swimming), the MMM website and mobile app offer a free method for you to track your mileage progress and solidify that habit. There’s also a competition factor—MMM metrics allow users to compete with themselves, their own group (such as a company or team), and with other groups as well. When you go to register for MMM, you can opt for the free program or choose to purchase a more advanced version that donates funds to those beneficial youth programs.

Austin Fit Magazine has put together a basic, one-month long plan that can be utilized to help you get moving so that you can set fitness goals for April and get your most miles. Start out with walking and work up to running, combine walking and running to build your stamina, or try running with this great building program. And in April, you’ll be setting your sights on a 5K or sprint triathlon as well as working with your fellow Texans to reach 1,000,000 miles. Let’s get started!

Download the Beginner Cardio Program (1 month) PDF

Monday, March 03
X-Train : cross-training
Planned Duration: 0:10:00

Workout Description:
Let's start the program out simply with an easy 10 min at casual pace on the equipment of your choosing. Swim, walk, jog, bike, eliptical; you decide. Just keep your heart rate and effort level comfortable.
Take a solid 15 min to do some good flexibility work afterwards.

Tuesday, March 04
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Wednesday, March 05
X-Train : Cross-Training Tempo Workout
Planned Duration: 0:15:00

Workout Description:
Let's step it up a bit and maximize the time we have available to workout today by doing a little bit of aerobic intensity.
Warm Up (WU): 5 min at very easy effort whether on bike, run or elliptical. If we're talking RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion, your RPE will be 2-3 on scale of 1-10. 10 is an all out effort)
Main Set (MS): 5 min steady at a pace that gets your heart rate a little higher and your RPE up to 4-6
Cool Down (CD): 5 min super EZ to CD back to 1-2 RPE. Stretch out throughly afterwards.

Thursday, March 06
Day Off : Rest Day

Workout Description:
Stretching or massage at the very most.

Friday, March 07
X-Train : Short Interval Accelerations
Planned Duration: 0:15:00

Workout Description:
 Lets mix it up again to keep the body guessing with another type of workout that addresses your neuromuscular (fast twitch, brain-muscle connection) fitness during an endurance workout to make it more intense and burn more calories.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3) followed by 3 x 10 second accelerations (RPE 6-8) w/ 30 seconds btw each to open and warm- up. The 30 sec recovery should get you back to RPE 2-3.
MS: 5 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 10 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone (6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Saturday, March 08
X-Train : Up to 20 min cardio movement
Planned Duration: 0:20:00
Workout Description:
Let's make today our long slow endurance cardio day for the week.
:15-:20 minutes of continuous movement whether it's walk, bike, run or stair climber. Keep your perceived exertion in that 3-5 range. You want to feel like you could go longer than :15-:20 min.

Sunday, March 09
Day Off : complete rest

Workout Description:
Day off completely. Relax, sleep in, do nothing today. You earned it and you will get stronger for it! Enjoy!

Monday, March 10
X-Train : Endurance Paced Cross-Training w/ Bursts
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Let's ride the momentum that you created last week and progres things slightly to keep it challenging, interesting and effective.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3)
MS: 10 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 15 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (RPE 8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone ( RPE 6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Tuesday, March 11
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Wednesday, March 12
X-Train : Cross-Training Tempo Progression
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Let's step it up a bit and maximize the time we have available to workout today by doing a little bit of aerobic intensity.
Warm Up (WU): 5 min at very easy effort whether on bike, run or elliptical. If we're talking RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion, your RPE will be 2-3 on scale of 1-10. 10 is an all out effort)
Main Set (MS): 6-8 min steady at a pace that gets your heart rate a little higher and your RPE up to 4-6.
Cool Down (CD): 5 min super EZ to CD back to 1-2 RPE. Stretch out throughly afterwards.

Thursday, March 13
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Friday, March 14
X-Train : Short Interval Accelerations
Planned Duration: 0:15:00

Workout Description:
Lets mix it up again to keep the body guessing with another type of workout that addresses your neuromuscular (fast twitch, brain-muscle connection) fitness during an endurance workout to make it more intense and burn more calotries.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3) followed by 3 x 10 second accelerations (RPE 6-8) w/ 30 seconds btw each to open and warm- up. The 30 sec recovery should get you back to RPE 2-3.
MS: 5 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 10 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone (6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Saturday, March 15
X-Train : Up to :20 min cardio movement
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Let's make today our long slow endurance cardio day for the week.
:15-:20 minutes of continuous movement whether it's walk, bike, run or stair climber. Keep your perceived exertion in that 3-5 range. You want to feel like you could go longer than :15-:20 min.

Sunday, March 16
Day Off : Chill!

Workout Description:
Chill! Sleep in, relax and enjoy a day off. Stretching at the most. Enjoy!

Monday, March 17
X-Train : Endurance Paced Cross-Training w/ Bursts
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Let's ride the momentum that you created last week and continue this week before changing it up.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3)
MS: 10 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 15 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (RPE 8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone ( RPE 6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Tuesday, March 18
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Wednesday, March 19
X-Train : Cross-Training Tempo Workout Planned Duration: 0:20:00
Workout Description: Same as last week and chance to make it more comfortable before we build during final prep week.
Warm Up (WU): 5 min at very easy effort whether on bike, run or elliptical. If we're talking RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion, your RPE will be 2-3 on scale of 1-10. 10 is an all out effort)
Main Set (MS): 6-8 min steady at a pace that gets your heart rate a little higher and your RPE up to 4-6.
Cool Down (CD): 5 min super EZ to CD back to 1-2 RPE. Stretch out throughly afterwards.

Thursday, March 20
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Friday, March 21
X-Train : Short Interval Accelerations
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Lets mix it up again to keep the body guessing with another type of workout that addresses your neuromuscular (fast twitch, brain-muscle connection) fitness during an endurance workout to make it more intense and burn more calotries.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3) followed by 3 x 10 second accelerations (RPE 6-8) w/ 30 seconds btw each to open and warm- up. The 30 sec recovery should get you back to RPE 2-3.
MS: 10 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 10 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone (6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Saturday, March 22
X-Train : Up to :25 min cardio movement
Planned Duration: 0:25:00

Workout Description:
Let's make today our long slow endurance cardio day for the week. Increasing duration by about 5 min from last week.
:20-:25 minutes of continuous movement whether it's walk, bike, run or stair climber. Keep your perceived exertion in that 3-5 range. You want to feel like you could go longer than :15-:20 min.

Sunday, March 23
Day Off : Restful Recovery Day

Monday, March 24
X-Train : Endurance Paced Cross-Training w/ Bursts
Planned Duration: 0:25:00

Workout Description:
Let's ride the momentum that you created last week and continue to build duration and bursts!
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3)
MS: 15 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 15 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (RPE 8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone ( RPE 6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Tuesday, March 25
Day Off : REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Wednesday, March 26, 201
X-Train : Cross-Training Tempo Workout
Planned Duration: 0:20:00 Workout Description:
Bumping up Tempo duration slightly
Warm Up (WU): 5 min at very easy effort whether on bike, run or elliptical. If we're talking RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion, your RPE will be 2-3 on scale of 1-10. 10 is an all out effort)
Main Set (MS): 10 min steady at a pace that gets your heart rate a little higher and your RPE up to 4-6.
Cool Down (CD): 5 min super EZ to CD back to 1-2 RPE. Stretch out throughly afterwards.

Thursday, March 27
Day Off: REST
Workout Description: REST !!!!!!

Friday, March 28
X-Train: Short Interval Accelerations
Planned Duration: 0:20:00

Workout Description:
Let's mix it up again to keep the body guessing with another type of workout that addresses your neuromuscular (fast twitch, brain-muscle connection) fitness during an endurance workout to make it more intense and burn more calories.
WU: 5 min very easy (RPE 2-3) followed by 3 x 10 second accelerations (RPE 6-8) w/ 30 seconds btw each to open and warm- up. The 30 sec recovery should get you back to RPE 2-3.
MS: 10 min steady in the endurance HR zone (4-6) with a 10 second hard acceleration at the top of every min (8-10). Return back to the endurance HR zone (6-8) between the :10 efforts efforts.
CD: 5 min super easy (RPE 2-3) CD followed by stretching.

Saturday, March 29
X-Train: Up to :30 min cardio movement
Planned Duration: 0:30:00

Workout Description:
Let's make today our long slow endurance cardio day for the week. Increasing duration by about 5 min from last week.
:25-:30 minutes of continuous movement whether it's walk, bike, run or stair climber. Keep your perceived exertion in that 3-5 range. You want to feel like you could go longer than :15-:20 min.

Sunday, March 30
Day Off: Restful Recovery Day