How to Start Running When You Have Never Run

This guide is for complete beginners who want to run but do not know where to start, or who tried once, ran out of breath in two minutes and gave up. You will learn what you actually need, how to run at an easy pace, and a nine-week walk-run plan that builds up to 30 minutes of continuous running. If you have a heart, lung or joint condition, are pregnant, take regular medication, or have not exercised in a long time, check with your doctor before you begin. General information, not professional advice.

Why most new runners quit, and how to avoid it

Most beginners make the same mistake: they head out the door and try to run as far and as fast as they can. Within a few minutes their lungs are burning, their legs feel heavy, and they decide running is not for them. The problem is not their body. The problem is the pace and the plan.

Your heart and lungs adapt to running fairly quickly, often within a few weeks. Your muscles, tendons, bones and joints adapt more slowly, over months. If you increase too fast, you can feel fit enough to do more before the rest of your body is ready, and that is when aches and injuries tend to appear. The answer is to build up gradually and mix running with walking at first.

• Start with walk-run intervals, not continuous running.
• Run slower than you think you should. Easy is the goal.
• Rest between runs so your body has time to adapt.
• Repeat a week whenever it felt too hard. There is no deadline.

What you need before your first run

Running is one of the cheapest ways to get fit. You do not need a watch, special clothing or a gym. Here is what genuinely matters.

Choose a safe, flat route for your first few weeks: a park path, a quiet residential loop, or a running track. Flat ground makes it easier to keep your effort steady. Tell someone where you are going if you run alone, and stick to well-lit, busy areas when it is dark.