A GUIDE TO START RUNNING
How to Start Running - A General Guide for Beginners
Running is a fantastic way to get fit! It’s the ultimate “no excuses bring with you anywhere” exercise.
With a little fitness motivation and a plan in place, any able bodied person can become a runner!
Just a heads up, if you haven’t done a lot of exercise in recent months and generally don’t do any strenuous exercise, it’s advisable to check in with your doctor before starting a running program.
The Starting Point
Before you dive in, you should have a comfortable pair of running shoes, a stop-watch or any ‘gadget’ that will keep time for you, and you should be able to walk briskly for 30 minutes at a time.
The Prep Phase
If you’re not feeling 100% confident about running yet, don’t worry. Take 2 weeks (or more) before starting a running program and walk 20-25 minutes continuous, 3-4 times the first week, then 25-30 minutes continuous, 3-4 times the 2nd week. Start at an easy pace for 5 minutes to warm-up and then walk briskly for 10-20 minutes, followed by a final easy paced 5 minutes to cool down. Feel free to take as much time as you need in this phase before adding in the running intervals.
Start with a Goal
I would recommend you start with a goal to keep you focused and on track. The most common goals usually revolve around a 12-week plan, where at the end, you will be able to run for 30 minutes continuous. All you’ll need to start is a watch or your phone to time your intervals. I would encourage you to sign up for a 5km race shortly after training, even if you’ve trained to run 30 minutes and might need to walk/run the remaining distance to cross the finish line. The sense of accomplishment, the camaraderie and the energy at a race is incredibly motivating and most newbies end up getting the ‘running bug’ afterwards, looking forward to more races.
Check out our article on Adventure races in Ireland for more information!
Gear
Besides running shoes and a timing device, make sure you have comfortable and weather appropriate clothing. Nothing ruins a run faster than a blister or chafing.
If its hot, make sure you’re hydrated before you begin, consider bringing a water with you, wear a visor or a hat and don’t forget the sunscreen! After a few runs, you may find you need to invest in a ‘chafe stick’ or body glide lubricant for any hot spots or blisters that arise.
Pro Tips
Pro Tip #1: Invest in a moisture wicking top as cotton retains moisture and gets very heavy and uncomfortable if you’re sweating a lot.
Pro Tip #2: People with breasts are going to want to invest in a high impact sports bra to avoid obvious discomfort.
Pro Tip #3: Anybody not wearing a sport bra should consider investing in a compression top or simply putting bandaids/medical grade tape over their nipples. This might sound hilarious but I’ve seen a number of grimacing people cross finish lines with blood on their shirts from seriously chafed nipples!
Pro Tip #4: Make sure your socks fit so they don’t move around in your shoe when you run and cause blisters! Consider getting a pair of moisture wicking running specific socks. They’re usually compression and designed to protect blister prone areas.
Pro Tip #5: If it’s cold, dress like it’s 10 degrees warmer than it actually is outside. Overdressing (and thus, overheating) is a classic rookie mistake so LAYERS are key. Generally, you need a base layer that can moisture wick sweat away and keep you dry and an outer layer to block the wind. On really cold days, you may also need a mid-layer. Consider an ear band or hat, gloves and a neck gaiter.
Plan a Route
This doesn’t have to be perfect but have a general idea about the route you plan on walk/running. If you’re planning to go running in the wilderness/rural areas, make sure someone knows where you are.
Schedule Your Runs
Pull up that calendar and make sure your runs are scheduled each week around the rest of your life so there can be no excuses. The only way you improve at running is by making it a habit. *Pro Tip: Get your gear ready and laid out the day before!
Less Is Enough
I know you’re excited but most programs aren’t simply 2-weeks for a reason! If you don’t build up your endurance gradually, you will get injured, and well, not be able to run. It takes time for your tendons, ligaments, muscles and mind to adapt to the stress of running. Running is going to feel hard at first but with mental grit and a regular grind, you too will come to enjoy it!
Music
Put together a playlist of motivational tunes. A hard workout is always better with music BUT be safe outside. A general rule of thumb is to wear only ONE ear bud for music so you can also hear the world around you.
Fuel & Hydration
While this a very personal and complex subject, there are a couple general tips to get you started. Proper hydrating is key, and happens hours before you actually run so make getting enough fluids a regular everyday habit so you don’t have to think about it too much.
About 30 minutes before you run, eat some easy to digest simple carbs (no fibre!!). Think a small banana, a piece of toast or a cup of sports drink etc. You’ll have to experiment to find what works for you to avoid GI distress on the run.
At this point, you don’t need to consume any calories during your run but you can bring a little water with you, especially if it’s hot out.
After your run, you will want to rehydrate and your next meal should consist of complex carbs, quality protein and some good fat for optimal recovery.
Pro Tip
It’s no secret that the running community loves coffee. Caffeine decreases your perception of effort and fatigue when running and increases your ability to concentrate. If you drink coffee/tea, experiment with timing around your run to avoid GI distress and maximize effectiveness. Peak caffeine levels in the blood are usually reached between 10-45 minutes.
Form
The goal is move forward, not bounce up and down, so pay attention to your gait and don’t waste energy bouncing. Keep your cadence quick (take smaller steps, usually between 160-180 steps per minute) and look forward (not at your feet). This may sound silly but keep your shoulders and hands relaxed while you swing your arms. In general, you should land on your mid-foot (not heel).
Pace
Don’t be concerned with speed right now. It’s a common rookie mistake to try to run a particularly paced km in the beginning, causing burn-out, injury or for some to simply give up. Just run for time and forget about speed. Your running pace should be conversational so gauge your intensity using the ‘talk test’. If you can barely get a couple works out because you’re gasping for breath, you’re probably pushing too hard. Priority number one is endurance in the beginning so work on finding a comfortable pace you can finish the running intervals at successfully.
Stretching
Aim for a few minutes of dynamic stretching before you run. Dynamic stretching is movement based stretching that’s meant to loosen and warm up muscles before exercise. Incorporate 15 reps per leg of lateral leg swings, forward leg swings, butt kicks, high knee marching and side-to-side lunges, as well as any other you feel you may need. A popular dynamic stretch sequence for hip opening is called ‘World’s Greatest’ (you can google this and watch the sequence on YouTube).
After your run, aim for a few minutes of static stretching and foam rolling. Static stretching has you holding a stretch, while breathing deeply. Do a 30-60 second stretch for the major muscle groups of the leg. Consider a pigeon/figure-4 stretch for your glutes, a ‘couch stretch’ for your hip flexors, a ‘heel-drop’ stretch for your calves and seated forward fold for hamstrings. Foam rolling is self-myofascial release (SMR), a technique used to help relieve muscle tension and improve range-of-motion. Important areas to foam roll are your back, quads, glutes, and sometimes calves (often painful at the beginning).
Pro Tip
Get yourself a massage ball and roll your feet after every run.
Strength Training
Most beginner runners don’t have the lower body strength necessary to handle the demands of running. I’m referring to total beginners, those starting from scratch and/or are carrying some extra weight, and not someone who exercises or plays a non-running sport regularly. This is why you need to spend 2-4 weeks (or more) establishing a regular 3-4x a week walking routine and establish a 5-10 minute bodyweight strength training routine to prevent injuries in the first few weeks of a running program.
Here is a basic beginner strength routine to get started. Perform 3 rounds, taking up to 30 seconds to rest between each exercise. Complete 2-3x per week:
Squats, 10 reps
Reverse Lunges, 8 reps per leg
Heel Drop Calf Raises, 10 reps (off the edge of a stair or curb)
Mountain Climbers, 10 reps per leg
Bird Dog, 10 reps
Side Plank, 10 gentle hip dips per side
Glute Bridge Raises, 10 reps, squeeze your butt!
A General 12 Week Beginner Running Plan
Here’s a breakdown of a typical, un-tailored, 12-Week Beginner Running plan: You’ll train three days a week and rest or cross-train the other days. You’ll run/walk twice during the week and complete a slightly longer session on the weekend.
Pre-Training
Remember, you should already be able to walk 30 minutes continuous at a brisk pace before you start this 12-week program!
Remember: Always start your runs with a few minutes of dynamic stretches, followed by a 3-5 minute warm up walk. Finish your sessions with a 3-5 minute cool down walk and a few minutes of static stretching and foam rolling.
Week 1
1) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 4 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 4 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 3 minutes. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 2
1) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 6x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 7x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 3
1) 5 min walk. Then run 2 minutes/walk 3 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 2 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 2 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 4
1) 5 min walk. Then run 2 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 3 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 3 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 5
1) 5 min walk. Then run 3 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 4 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 4 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 6
1) 5 min walk. Then run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 5x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 5 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 5 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 7
1) 5 min walk. Then run 5 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 6 minutes/walk 3 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 6 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 8
1) 5 min walk. Then run 6 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 7 minutes/walk 3 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 7 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 9
1) 5 min walk. Then run 7 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 8 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 8 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 10
1) 5 min walk. Then run 8 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 9 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 9 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 11
1) 5 min walk. Then run 10 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 12 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 14 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 2x. Walk 5 minutes.
Week 12
1) 5 min walk. Then run 15 minutes/walk 1 minute. Repeat 2x. Walk 5 minutes.
2) 5 min walk. Then run 12 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3x. Walk 5 minutes.
3) 5 min walk. Then run 30 minutes. Walk 5 minutes.
This program is designed to help you gradually eliminate walking breaks and be able to run a continuous 30 minute run. Everyone is different so feel free to repeat weeks when needed if you feel the program progresses too quickly for you. The key to success is routine so put your runs in your calendar and treat them like any other appointment. Remember that the vast majority of running injuries are overuse injuries, often occurring if you run ‘too much too soon’ so take it easy, stay safe and enjoy the journey.
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Thanks for reading!