While I'm not a marathon runner, I've got a decent level of cardio fitness, and have done this myself from scratch; and the exercise mentioned can't hurt... to get in shape from nothing, to a 10k run, it's going to need a lot of work. Fair enough, I don't know the specifics of training for that discipline, but I'll definitely argue whilst training for a level of cardio and lower-body fitness that skipping, situps and squats aren't 'pointless', especially as mentioned, he doesn't have much time spare.

I'm just in a pissed-off mood, but still.