Running is one of the best ways to get fit, burning twice the calories per hour as walking does. It also helps to improve aerobic fitness, bone density, and mental health. There is only one problem – how do you start?

If you have never run before, it can be daunting to get started. You are not the only one, I also started running as an adult. I am here to tell you that running is achievable for everybody, you just have to start.

Stage 1: The Walking Phase (What Do You Need To Start Running)

To become a runner, you will discipline and a pair of running shoes. In Stage 1 I will guide you in acquiring both.

Building Discipline

If you are not currently a runner, what you need to do is to go outside right now and go for a walk. Not when you do more research, not when you buy gear or shoes, but right now. Rain or shine, day or night, go outside and go for a walk.

You should not still be reading this, you should be walking. Do not make this difficult, go for a walk in your neighborhood. Go for a 10-minute walk right now.

Now that you are back inside, you have made the first steps towards lifestyle change. Becoming a runner is not just about improving your fitness, it is about changing your habits and your lifestyle.

Your job now is to keep walking, not every day, but every other day. Stage one is to start walking for 30 minutes three days per week. “But RoamandRefine, I clicked on this blog post to learn how to start running, not how to start walking.” You need to build the habit and want it. You have to walk before you can run.

You may be tempted to walk your dog on this walk. I would not do this. You should walk your dog anyways, separately from your training. If you are not going to bring your dog on your runs, you should not bring your dog on your Stage 1 walks.

Getting Running Shoes

To get running shoes, you will have to do a lot of research and go to a running store. Try out different brands of running shoes, and talk to workers at a running store, think REI or Track Shack. Brooks Ghost work well for my feet, but only you will know what fits you best. Go for fit and comfort over everything else. Some brands like Brooks have a tool to help you walk through which model would work best for your body.

Good running shoes are expensive, and you should buy name-brand. You may need to save up for this expense. I promise you it is worth it. Stage 1 will provide you the time to save up while you build the habit of exercising.

If you have some kind of underlying condition, now is the time to go to the doctor and tell them about your plan to start running.

Once you have running shoes, and you have been walking for 30 minutes three times a week, you are ready to move on to Stage 2. If you are tempted to miss a workout, do not. Seriously, you are going to quit in month one? Is walking too hard for you?

Stage 2: Bridging the Gap (Your First Runs)

If you have not built a solid habit of walking, go back to Stage 1. If you personally had the discipline to just start running, you would have already done that. You need to have a habit of consistent, dedicated, outdoor exercise before moving on to running. Starting to run is hard, and you need the ability to do hard things.

Couch To 5k

If you have been consistently walking for a few weeks, I recommend the Couch To 5K program. This is an 8 week program that will start off with running and walking intervals, while gradually decreasing the amount of walking until you just run. For example, in Week 1 you will run for 60 seconds, then walk for 90 seconds, then repeat for 20 minutes. In Week 2 you will bump up the run to 90 seconds, and the walk to 60 seconds.

There are excellent apps that tell you when to run and when to walk. I would use one of these in an earbud instead of going crazy trying to time it and do math while you are also trying to learn to run.

Why People Fail and The Power of Running Slowly

This plan progresses quickly, by week 8 you will be running 30 minutes! Most people fail Couch To 5K for two reasons: lack of discipline and running too fast.

We have addressed lack of discipline; you have a habit of walking already. If a week in Couch To 5K is too hard, repeat it! Go back to the previous week if you must. There is no shame, you are only going to build a better foundation to make yourself better. Think about it, you have waited this long to start running, you might as well build a good foundation instead of skipping days or cutting corners.

It is entirely possible that you run too fast during the Couch To 5K program. I would run as slow as you possibly can while it is still considered running. As a beginner runner, you will have little control over your pace and heart rate. Until you build up a base of aerobic fitness, you need to go slow. A lot slower than you think.

This is not a sprint, the goal here is to get you to build a habit of running. The faster you run on the intervals, the more likely you are to burn out, get injured, or be unable to finish the run interval. You need to run slower to keep your heartrate down.

Stage 3: Finishing Training and Running the Race

A month into the Couch To 5K plan, you should have a pretty good idea how it is going. By the end of Week 5, you will be able to run for 20 minutes straight! This seemed impossible on Week 1, but you can now do it. Now is the time to find a race.

Look in your area and on local Facebook groups to find a 5K race near you on the weekend you finish your training.  This will give you the push you need to follow through on your commitment to start running.

5Ks are short races and might be large or small depending on who is running the race and how well publicized it is. Expect to pay an entry fee when you sign up. If you make it through the long run on Week 5, the future workouts should come easy.

Gratitude and Finishing Strong

As you finish up the program, and especially on race day, take a moment to see how far you have come. Think about how you put your mind and body towards a task, and you were able to complete it. You can do this again. You can achieve hard things.

Make sure you arrive early to your 5K race to grab your bib (this is the number so they can track your time). You will be tempted to go fast on race day. Do not do this, you may run out of steam. To prevent having to walk parts of your first race, I would do the same slow speed you have been running on your training runs. The only record you need to break on your first 5K is your own.

Once you complete the race, know that I am proud of you! Thank you for following through and doing what you said you are going to do. This is a huge step in your life that you will look back on. You are officially a runner!

Stage 4: Wait? There’s More?

Couch to 5K is a great way to start running, but what do you do after? Well, the most important thing to do is to continue running 5K a few times a week. This will ensure that you do not lose the fitness adaptations that you have gained.

There is a convenient follow-on program of the same format as Couch To 5K called Bridge To 10K, which will help you stretch out your runs from 5K to 10K distance. I followed this program and it worked well for me.

What is important here is that you keep your habit of running without the rigidity of Couch To 5K. Try to maintain your 3 runs per week. Set goals to stretch out your run time or speed up your 5K.

At this point, you have proved that you can maintain the habit of running, and you are officially a runner! Go ahead and try different styles of running shorts to find ones that fit you without chafing. It took me several tries to find a style with a liner that works for me. Save up and buy a second pair of running shoes, you earned it!

Running Plans

You can follow the Running Order of Operations, which recommends adding additional easy 5K runs to your week before incorporating the long run.

Other plans include the ones laid out in the 80/20 Running book, which can help you achieve specific goals such as improving your 5K time or working up to a marathon.

The Hal Higdon plan is highly regarded for getting people to their first marathon.

Stage 5: The Rabbit Hole

You do not need my help with this section. If you spend enough time in Stage 4, social media will do its thing and you will know what you want to train for. Common next goals for running after 5Ks and 10Ks are half marathons and marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons, such as Ironman.

You may even change your style of running and opt for trail running instead of sidewalk/road running.

You will probably start to accumulate gear, like new pairs of running shoes, a Garmin watch, even running vests and snacks. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody.

At the time of writing this, I have entered the rabbit hole stage, with a half marathon coming up in less than 2 weeks.

Call to Action

Running is hard, but you can do it. You need to put in the work, especially when it is hard.

What if none of your friends run? What if nobody in your family runs? Be the first. I am the first runner in my family. I want to set a good example so my kids don’t have to read blog posts like this to figure out how to run, like I had to do.

You have two options: quit now or follow through with your goal. If you quit now, ouch. You proved everybody who doubted you right. If you persevere, you will spark positive change in every aspect of your life. Take some ownership and get after it.

If you are serious about starting to run or making positive changes in your life, shoot me an email. I will follow up and help you stay on track.