Running for Beginners
This page contains an overview of how to get started building a running habit, how to stay healthy and make progress, and how to know when you're ready to take the next steps!
Enjoyment Above All
If I could distill all of my tips for beginners into one thought, it would be this:
You should enjoy the act of running on most of your runs.
Of course, the number one goal is to build the habit. In order to do that, you need to enjoy it! But even when it comes to actually training and improving, if you don't enjoy it, particularly after the first few weeks, then something is out of whack. It shouldn't hurt. It shouldn't be hard.
But theres more to it than that, so let's dig in!
Starting from Scratch
If you are starting a running routine from scratch, start with walking! If you are walking 20 minutes on most days of the week, then you are ready to add some running intervals.
Run/Walk Intervals
Alternating running and walking is an AMAZING tool for runners. There is nothing inherently 'better' about continuous running. I promise.
Simply go out for your 20-minute run, but after four minutes of walking, add one minute of running.
So that will look like: 4min walk, 1min run, 4min walk, 1min run, 4min walk, 1min run, 4min walk, 1min run. (That brings us to 20-minutes).
It's important not to try and run fast, even though it's for such a short time. Just try and move efficiently in a running form.
I recommend always starting with at least a few minutes of walking. You could also add 5min of walking before starting the intervals, and then running the first minute of every 5min section.
These intervals are usually notated 4min walk/1min run or 1min run/4min walk.
Note that the exact intervals don't matter too much: as you get consistent, you will develop the ability to feel when you should run and walk.
But for now, here's my recommended progression of walk/run intervals:
4:30 walk/30sec run (if needed)
4min walk/1min run
3min walk/2min run
2min walk/3min run