This Weekly Workout Involves Some Motivation and Lots of Running

"When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal. You do not change your decision to get there."

-- Zig Ziglar

Here is a challenging running workout that will help you with building leg stamina and lung endurance for timed runs. Give this a shot and adjust to fit your level of distance running in a workout. This workout is more than six miles of running, so if you are not up to that, cut the distance by 50%-75%, if necessary, and try working in the timed runs, intervals and hill work into a single workout.

Run plus hill or stairs -- fast/slow speed intervals:

• Run 1.5 miles timed/light stretch

• Run one mile of 100-meter sprints/50 meters slow and easy (build up your sprint sets -- no need to go 100% on the first one, as you will be doing 10-12 of these to get a mile.

• 15 minutes of hills up/downs or stairs or bleachers up/downs (stair stepper)

• Run one mile timed

• Run one mile of 100-meter sprint/50 meters easy

• Top off the leg/running workout with either an easy 1,000-meter swim with or without fins or a 15- to 20-minute bike or elliptical pyramid, where each minute is tougher than the previous minute by either speed, resistance or incline.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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