Starting to run
Running, like any form of exercise, needs to be started with care. The best approach for many people is to introduce running gradually, using an Interval Trainingapproach of mixing running and walking.
Contents
1 Introduction
Not surprisingly, I'm a big fan of running as a way of keeping fit and healthy. But starting to run is not easy, and advice to 'just go out and run' can be counterproductive. Humans are built to run, but there is a level of fitness required before running is practical.
2 Cautions
If you have any concerns about the risks of exercise, talk to your doctor before starting. An annual medical is important for your long term health, so that is a great opportunity to chat to your doctor about your exercise plans.
3 Beginners Plan
This plan is intended to get you to the point where you can run 30 minutes comfortably and effectively.
3.1 Baseline fitness
Before you do any running, you should start by walking. If you are unfit, walking can be sufficient training to raise your fitness level. First, check you can to walk 2 miles in about 30 minutes. This is based on the idea that walking is more efficient than running up to about 13-14 min/mile pace[1]. So running slower than 14 min/mile pace is unproductive; you are better off walking. If you can't walk 2 miles in 30 minutes, focus on walking and building up to that pace. You should build up to walking at that pace over a few minutes as a Warmup.
3.2 Incremental Run/Walk
So, once you've reached the point of walking 2 miles in 30 minutes (or verified you can do it), introduce the running gradually. Start off with two one minute runs in the 30 minutes; walk 14, run 1, walk 14, run 1. Try to keep the walking pace around 15 min/mile pace, which is a fast walk. As that ratio of running to walking becomes comfortable, gradually shift from walking to running. Dropping the last minute walk can be hard, and is not critical. You may prefer to extend the time rather than dropping the walk, adding another 15 minute block. If you do extend the time, you should drop back the run/walk ratio, so go from 2x1W:14R to 3x5W:10R, or whatever seems comfortable. Don't forget to do a short Warmup before the 30 minutes, starting off with a moderate walk and building up to the right pace over a few minutes.
| Warmup | Walk | Run | Walk | Run | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 30 | 0 | Baseline 30 min walk | ||
| 5 | 14 | 1 | 14 | 1 | |
| 5 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 2 | |
| 5 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 3 | |
| 5 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 4 | |
| 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 | |
| 5 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 6 | |
| 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | |
| 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | Crossover to more running than walking |
| 5 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 9 | |
| 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | |
| 5 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 11 | |
| 5 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 12 | |
| 5 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 13 | |
| 5 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 14 | Dropping this last minute of walking can be tricky. |
| 5 | 30 |
4 Alternative Plan
This plan uses a slightly different mix of running and walking, using 27 minutes total time
| Warmup | Walk | Run | Walk | Run | Walk | Run | Total Running |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 27 | 0 | |||||
| 5 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
| 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
| 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 21 |
| 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 24 |
| 5 | 27 | 27 |
5 Running Pace
The pace of your running needs to be fast enough to be smooth and efficient. It must be faster than the walking pace, and should be 12:00 min/mile or faster. However, don't go too fast; it must not be a sprint, or even a hard running pace.
6 Running Form
A simple way of learning to run is to stand still, then gradually lean forward until you have to start running to prevent falling over. This will naturally put your weight over the front part of your foot, rather than landing on your heels. This forward lean should come from your whole body leaning forward rather than bending at the waist. Keep your arms high; your arms should swing naturally as a counterbalance to your running motion. You don't need to consciously drive your arms; just let them move naturally and freely. Don't try to stretch forward with your legs to lengthen your stride, but have your feet land roughly under your hips. Your Cadence should be high.
7 Rate of Progress
How fast should you shift from walking to running? Listen to your body; if the level of stress is very low, then shifting to more running is good. Remember that shifting to running more quickly may increase your fitness more rapidly, but it will also increase the possibility of injury. Remember that fatigue is cumulative, and it accumulates over much longer periods that you may expect. The fatigue in your body can be the result of training you did 2-3 weeks ago. That means you can raise your level of exercise dramatically and keep it up for a week or two, then suffer some level of failure. One rule of thumb with marathon training is to only raise your mileage every two weeks. This can also apply to initial running as well; it is better to be cautious.
8 How Often to Run?
How often should you run? Is you may know from previous posts, I am a believer in 'less is more', recommending running four days per week. A lot will depend on your fitness level however. If you are reasonably fit and just adjusting to running, you may need to run more days per week, as the stress is not sufficient to require 48 hours recovery. Overall though, I would suggest you are better off running 3 to 4 days/week and raising the intensity of the runs rather than running more days.
9 Running with others?
Starting to run with someone else can make a big difference to your Motivation. However, remember that their level of fitness and their rate of progress might be quite different to yours.
10 Starting to run if you're already fit
What if you are not a runner, but quite fit? I would suggest that you start with the run/walk approach anyway. Your fitness should allow you to progress up the scale to 30 minutes of running quite quickly, while reducing the risk of injury.
11 Running and Obesity
Running puts stress on the body, and if you are too overweight, your body may not cope well with this additional stress. I suspect that being able to walk 2 miles in 30 minutes will be indicative of a body that can begin to run, but I could be wrong. If you are significantly overweight, you may be better off focusing on walking and weight loss before you start running.
12 Comparison with Couch to 5K
Another popular and successful program for starting to run is the 'Couch to 5K' program. The Couch to 5K has worked for many people, and uses a similar approach to mine, using interval training to incrementally move from walking to running. The big advantage of couch to 5K is the level of support for the program, with organized groups, applications, forums, etc., to help a new runner. However, there are some caveats to the program, which is why I use an alternative approach:
- Couch to 5K does not have any baseline fitness requirements. While I'd like to say that anyone can start to run, I think that for some people it is better to 'learn to walk before you can run'.
- The rate of progression for Couch to 5K is fixed at 8 weeks, which may be way too short for some people and too long for others.
- The Couch to 5K program uses time or distance, which can cause confusion. I believe that for most beginners, focusing on time rather than distance is more effective.
- After week 6 the Couch to 5K moves from interval training to pure running, incrementally building up the distance.