Unless one of your friends actually wants to run or jog, nothing you can say or do will be able to make them. Well, nothing legal anyway.

The good news is that you don’t need a friend; you need a training partner. You are far more likely to succeed if you begin exercising with someone who is either keen to begin a training program or who has already made exercise part of their life. If you can’t find anyone in your immediate group, you could enquire at your local gym or fitness centre to see whether there is an established running club you could join. You might also put up a notice to find a suitable training partner – there’s probably someone out there asking the same question. Good luck.

Craig Harper