Hello. I'm Andy. Ready to knock it out of the proverbial park? Good. Read on!

This is the first guide in what is destined to become one of the greatest series of guides in all of GuideHQ--the One Hour Series . Hopefully your next question is something like "What the $#&! is the One Hour Series?" If it wasn't, don't worry--we'll just pretend that it was...and thanks for asking by the way!

The One Hour Series is, well, a series of guides that provides a template and tips on how to move towards becoming so physically capable that you can tackle pretty much any endurance based challenge your little heart and mind desires, all on only One Hour a Week of training. Hopefully the title makes more sense now.

The first installment of the series, General Fitness, is aimed at offering a path towards a fitness 'platform' from which you can choose one of the other titles (depending on your particular goals) and enjoy relative success in your discipline of choice, whether it be big bike races, ultra-marathons, long distance swimming events (yeah, there are a few of you out there!) or triathlon/multisport.

If you think it sounds like a crazy idea--well you're right! But I'm convinced that it both has merit and only sounds crazy. In fact, I've spent the better part of the last decade using the type and methods of training that I prescribe in the following pages to tackle some of the most epically challenging events out there--from multi-day adventure races to grueling winter bike races and just about everything in between. Hopefully this guide will help you realize some of your own athletic ambitions on less of a time investment than you previously thought would be required.

The training program this guide contains involves both strength and cardiovascular work (the latter via a combination of running, biking, swimming, rowing and elliptical) and will involve three hours or less of work every three weeks (an average of one hour a week). It is designed to get you progressively fitter and fitter until you are fast enough and confident enough to tackle any endurance based challenge you would want to (at least physically). Happy reading.