How to start running as a beginner
Beginning running is simple, fantastically healthy and can be adapted to fit any lifestyle, says Paul Larkins. Here are his top tips for starting running
The good news is you probably have everything you need to start running as a beginner right now. As sports go, running can be pretty low maintenance if you want it to be. Therein lies the beauty. It’s economically very accessible, especially if you’re just starting out.
Grab a pair of running shoes, a running t-shirt (preferably lightweight and breathable) and some running shorts or leggings, and you’re good to go! Shoes are obviously the key thing in all of this, but such is the quality of what’s on offer today, almost anything you choose or have already will be more than capable of providing the cushioning and support you need.
Once you get into running, you may want to visit a specialist running store for a gait analysis and read up on the best gear for your particular running style and needs, but for now, you’re ready to go!
In this article, we’ll cover:
How should a beginner start running?
The beauty of running is that it’s amazingly versatile; some will want to go before work, some after or maybe during lunch. All we would say at 220 is allocate a slot three times a week for half an hour of running and/or walking and stick to it as much as possible.
It’s that simple. Try to stick to running as a regular habit, three times a week, for at least six weeks. By then, you’ll start to see some real improvements and can start expanding your running repertoire.
How do I start running if I am unfit?
Starting running from nothing can feel daunting, but it’s certainly not impossible. Remember that taking the first step out the door is an achievement in itself, and often the hardest part of starting off as a beginner.
It’s absolutely ok to start running if you’re unfit, it simply requires a gradual approach. The initial few weeks when you first start running should involve some run/walk sessions (see below for how), to get your body used to the effort and able to maintain it.
At this early stage, don’t focus on distance or pace, but rather on time. Aim to run/walk for a certain amount of time in total. Start with five to ten minutes, then gradually increase only when you start to feel core confident and comfortable.
Prioritise consistency over intensity, initially easing in with 2-3 run/walks per week, then slowly increasing to a solid three times per week. Listen to your body, and don’t hesitate to take rest days. Gradually increase the jogging duration as you build endurance.
Is it OK to run every day as a beginner?
How often you run as a beginner is entirely up to you. Maybe it’s one minute, maybe it’s five, or maybe for the lucky few it’s 10 miles straightaway. However, for most of us, we’d recommend plotting in something in between and using this formula: walk the same amount of time you run.
By that we mean, for example walk for 2min, run 2min, walk 2min, run 2min, and so on. And don’t think that’s cheating… plenty have used exactly that formula to clock inside 3 hours for the marathon (yours truly included, run 20min, walk 3min).
Planned walks are the key. Don’t run yourself to exhaustion and then walk – schedule them in and stick to it. And then, after a few weeks, of run/walks three times a week, simply lengthen the distance of the run and shorten the walk. It’s simple, but it works!
A word of warning, for those who are not used to running, we don’t recommend running every day. To avoid injury and burnout, avoid doing too much, too soon, of an exercise that your body is simply not used to.
Make running a lasting habit by easing yourself into it and making it a part of a realistic, real-life routine.
How far should I run as a beginner?
As we mention above, as a beginner it’s best to focus on time rather than distance. This is to get your body used to ‘time of feet’ and the movement of running, without worrying about external pressures.
As a beginner, it’s best to initially focus on building up to completing 1km non-stop, then 1 mile, then 5km. Adjust your goals slowly, and congratulate yourself for each milestone passed. Remember that even those super fast runners you see at the park started by not being able to run a mile – it’s all about perspective.
That being said, as a beginner you can certainly aim big when it comes to distance. Once you’ve progressed to 5km and as long as you’ve built that consistent running base, then there’s no reason you can’t aim to run a 10km race or longer. the sky really is your limit.
The key here is a slow increase in mileage and load on the body, while incorporating certain factors into your plan to take care of your body as best you can, such as: recovery techniques like foam rolling, massage, and calf compression sleeves, acing your nutrition and upping the protein for recovery, and cross-training for added strength, mobility, and all-around health.
What’s a good 5km time?
What’s considered a ‘good’ 5km time is relative to your fitness level. For beginners, completing it in 30-45 minutes or more is a solid start. Intermediate runners often aim for 25-35 minutes, while advanced runners can achieve sub-25 minutes.
Elite athletes push for times around and even below 15 minutes. Ultimately, a good time is one that reflects your personal improvement and effort. It’s all relative, so focus on your own progress and working on beating your previous time rather than comparing yourself to others.
A good way to do this is to sign up to Parkrun, a free, organised 5km organised running event that occurs in parks across the UK and beyond. You can run, walk, or jog round the course. They’re a brilliant way to compare your running progression and get a taste for the race environment.
How do I improve at running?
We’ve become huge fans of the fitness tracker watches and apps that record how many strides you’ve taken in a day. It used to be coaches would recommend keeping a training diary, which you could then see how you’re progressing.
These inexpensive (when you consider value for money) pieces of kit do exactly that. Goal setting is hugely motivational and very quickly, you find yourself setting and beating your targets, such as 10,000 steps a day.
Be warned: they are addictive and before you know it, you’ll be running regularly!
What’s a good running pace?
Actually there is; slowly! The best running is done at a pace where you can happily chat to whoever you are with (there’s a tip for you: share the workload and find someone to run with).
If you can settle into that rhythm – with walking or without – you’ve pretty much found the ideal speed for increasing your ability to run further.
Heart rate monitors and other expensive bits of kit will also find that speed for you, but it’ll be exactly the pace you’ve found yourself by chatting to your friend – easy, talking speed is the best pace to run at.
How can I run quicker?
Running is all about improving and getting faster. Initially that mean seem tough, but there is a simple way to get things moving along nicely.
After about five or six weeks of simply running, introduce a workout where once a week, you finish your run and then do five or six Usain Bolt-type easy efforts over about 25 seconds or so with a stroll back.
Think about moving effortlessly and relaxed rather than being an Olympic sprinter, and you’ll fly! You’ll be surprised at how quickly incorporating speed sessions into your running routine can improve your average pace.
Strength training exercises for runners can also be beneficial in making sure that you’re as robust as possible for running, this will also help to avoid injury and improve overall fitness.
As always, be patient and even if your goal is to get faster, try to remember to smell the roses and not put too much pressure on pace. It’s easy to fall into the trap of negative comparison, so don’t forget how far you’ve come from starting your running journey as a beginner. Bravo, you are a runner!
- High intensity interval training: why and when to do HIIT
- How to improve your triathlon run pace
- What are the best strength training exercises for triathletes?
Thinking about doing a triathlon? Here is a training plan for triathlon beginners
Paul Larkins
Freelance writer specialising in running 
