Getting started – our 10-week run-walk plan for complete beginners – Runner’s World (UK)

You can spend all year thinking about it and Googling tips, but the key is to just lace up and get out there. Regularly. ‘The biggest thing when you first start out is establishing the habit – getting used to being on your feet,’ says running coach Matthew Meyer.

At the start, forget about hitting a certain pace, ditch the idea of reaching a certain distance; instead, just set a time goal. Obviously, a realistic and safe goal will vary according to your starting levels of health and fitness, but Meyer says a good new-runners’ target is to get moving for 20 minutes, three days a week. Eventually, build up to four days, and then you can bump those 20 minutes to 25 and so on.

With our hectic lives, trying to fit the new commitment of a running routine into your schedule can be a major barrier. So, treat your training time like you would an important appointment, and if you’re really struggling to commit, find a workout buddy or a group so you have a solid reason to get out there often. Also, try laying your running kit next to your bed the night before. It’s one less thing you have to do before a morning run.

How to start running – our 10-week run-walk plan

Whether you’re fresh off the sofa or coming from another sport, running takes time to break into, but you will get there, if you start slowly. One great way to do that is a run-walk programme. With your 20-minute target in mind, focus on a few minutes of running, followed by a period of walking. Meyer suggests aiming to run for three minutes and walking for one minute – continue to alternate until you reach the time goal.

If you’re not comfortable with a one-minute walk segment, coach Christine Hinton suggests four minutes of walking and just two minutes of running as an alternative, or try the 10-week walk-run plan below.

Start and finish each workout with five minutes of walking. Then, alternate the following run/walk ratios for 30 minutes.

Aim for a six or seven out of 10 in terms of your exertion level during run periods, reducing it to two or three during the walk. You should be able to have a conversation during those three-minute run periods, says Meyer.

Get the basics right from the beginning – warming up and cooling down

Treat yourself like a runner – from day one. That means taking time to properly warm up and cool down. ‘A good warm-up makes it much easier to get going and keep going,’ says coach Andrew Kastor. ‘It’s much more than just boosting blood flow to your muscles.’ Your neuromuscular system, which involves your brain telling your muscles how to contract, gets up to speed. Your body starts churning out fat-burning enzymes, which help your aerobic system work more efficiently. Synovial fluid warms up, which helps lubricate your joints. ‘Too many beginners skip this step without realising how much easier it makes the whole run feel,’says Kastor. Cooling down, while less critical, allows your body to gradually adjust from running back to a resting state. ‘Just a few minutes’ walking is all you need to let your heart rate return to normal and for your body to clear out any metabolic waste you created during your efforts,’ adds Kastor.

Start your warm-up with a few reverse lunges on each leg, followed by squats, side lunges, bum kicks and high knees, and a few minutes of walking before your run. After that, take a few minutes to walk slowly, then foam roll your legs (the quads, hamstrings and calves are good places to work on) or stretch.

Think about your form

Even (and, in fact, especially) in the early stages of running, you also want to think about your running technique. Meyer has a few simple questions he tells his clients to ask themselves on the run: Am I forward leaning through the chest?Are my arms swinging? Is my core engaged? Are my knees driving? Are my heels nice and high? ‘Really focus on picking up your heels behind you, especially if you’re feeling tired and your legs are heavy, to take your mind off the run for a little,’ says Meyer.

When you start to feel like you just want to stop: for starters, focus on why you decided to start running. ‘Whenever I’m in the middle of a really hard run, I remember, “You chose this and you really love this,”’ says Meyer. ‘Even when it gets hard, there’s a reason you went out in the first place.’

Before your next run, Meyer recommends deciding what you want to get out of it to keep your focus. Do you want to get outside and enjoy it? To end it smiling and feeling good? To get mentally or physically stronger? Do you just want to sweat a little? Whatever it is, point it out and use it as your motivation to just keep going.

Don’t feel deflated when you have a bad run

Don’t feel deflated by a bad run – everyone has them. Even the pros. ‘Running is more of a collection of work – day by day, you work for it – and it’s at the end that you see everything,’ says Meyer. ‘So just focus on turning up a little bit everyday. Some days, you’ll feel amazing; some days, you’ll feel terrible. Success is not determined by one day, but by all of them put together.’

A simple running diary offers insight into how far you’ve come, what’s working and what’s not, and keeps you on track to meet your goals. Consider recording the type of run (duration/miles/special workout); effort; food and drink consumed before, during and after; weather; and how you felt.

A playlist can also help you power through the tough times. ‘Certain types of music can help lower the perception of fatigue and enhance feelings of vigour and excitement,’ says sports and exercise psychologist Dr Costas Karageorghis, of Brunel University. Just be sure to keep the volume low or opt for open-air earphones so you’re aware of your surroundings: always run safely.

How to progress

When you feel comfortable running for 20-30 minutes at an easy pace (that is, when your exertion level drops below six, and you feel confident in taking it up a notch), it’s time to increase the challenge. Your next step is to either extend your total time on your feet in each session or the number of runs each week. But choose just one option at a time, says Meyer. For instance, you could aim to go for 30 minutes instead of 20. Or run four times
a week instead of three. One important rule of thumb: increase your total weekly time or distance by no more than 10 per cent from week to week.

Always remember that you’re a runner, no matter how much time you put in and whether you walk or not. ‘If you get out there and you put one foot in front of the other, you’re a runner,’ says Meyer. Don’t forget it!

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