New and in need of guidance

Welcome to BT!  I would recommend looking at the training programs (click on the "programs" icon at the top of the page) here at BT, as there are some good ones. 

Good luck!

Good for you for taking that first step. It is, after all, the hardest one.

After that, the next hardest part is getting into the habit of working out. Just make the time in your schedule and make it non-negotiable.  Once you are in the habit, eventually you'll find that it takes on a life of it's own.  By that, I mean that you'll start to see workouts as a reward rather than punishment.  You'll want to work out and really miss it when you can't.

Hi kweber - I was in exactly the same place as you two years ago.  For us with desk jobs and kids the best place to get fit is in the morning!

The best way to work out a training programme is to have in mind what you are prepared / able to give in terms of time.  Then what you want your goals to be.  The training programme gets you from where you are now to your goals whilst taking into account the constraints of the time you have available.

1. See a doctor for clearence if necessary.

2. Sign up for a sprint in your area.  Make sure there is enough time for a couch to x plan.

3. Put the program from BT into your logs.

4. Tell everyone you are going to do the race.

5. Follow the training plan and do the race the best you can.

#3 sets you up for success! Let everyone know what you are doing!  Promise your kids and wife you are taking your health sriously and that they can help you train as well. 

 Good luck! This site has helped me so much! I hope it is a great resource for you as well.

The training programs on this site are GREAT, but yeah, it is still important to listen to your body.

Just cause you want to run faster does not mean you should.  Even if backing off means walking - if you do what you can reasonably do - sooner than you think you'll work your way up.  Reasonable progression is the name of the game.