Running for beginners

Running 101: how to start, how to stand, how to breathe, and how not to quit in week three.

Your first two weeks

Go out three times a week with a rest day between. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday works for most people.
Walk five minutes to warm up. Then alternate one minute of gentle jogging with 90 seconds of walking, eight times.
Jog slower than feels necessary. You should be able to talk. If you can't, slow down or walk sooner.
Walk five minutes to cool down. Done. That's a real training session.

The run-walk timer will beep the intervals for you, and the plan builder turns this into a full plan for your first race.

Running form in five cues

Tall: imagine a string pulling the top of your head up. Lean very slightly forward from the ankles, not the waist.
Loose up top: shoulders down and away from your ears; hands relaxed, as if holding crisps you don't want to crush.
Arms swing forward and back, elbows around 90 degrees, not crossing your body.
Quick, light steps that land roughly under your hips. Overstriding (reaching far forward with your heel) acts like a brake.
Eyes ahead, about 10–20 metres down the path, not at your feet.

Heel, midfoot or forefoot? Don't force a change. Studies haven't shown that one foot strike prevents injuries for everyone; shorter, quicker steps usually sort out the worst overstriding by themselves.

How to breathe while running

Breathe through your mouth and nose together; your muscles need more air than your nose alone can supply. Breathe from your belly, letting it expand, rather than lifting your shoulders. And if you're out of breath, the fix is almost always pace: slow down until you can talk.

Explainer: breathing in step

Pick a rhythm, then play it. Each tile is one footstep; volt tiles are breathing in, dark tiles breathing out. Watch which foot the exhale lands on.

3:2: in for 3 steps, out for 2. The exhale begins on your right, then left foot. Easy runs. An odd number of steps per breath means your exhale switches feet each cycle.

Why bother? Some coaches, notably Budd Coates in Running on Air, argue that always exhaling on the same foot concentrates impact stress on one side. The evidence is thin, so treat rhythms as a calming tool rather than a rule: if counting helps you relax, use it; if it stresses you, just breathe.

That air hunger in your first weeks is simply your body asking for more oxygen than it's used to delivering. Ever wondered where that oxygen came from in the first place? It's split out of water inside leaves, and ahaboo's narrated photosynthesis explainer lets you watch it happen.

What to wear

Shoes: running shoes that feel comfortable when you jog in them. A specialist shop will let you try a few. Replace them roughly every 500–800 km.
Clothes: synthetic or merino, not cotton, which stays wet. Dress as if it's 10°C (18°F) warmer than it is; you'll heat up in minutes.
For women: a well-fitting sports bra matters more than any other piece of kit.
After dark: something reflective and a small light.

Mistakes that stall beginners

Every run too fast. The talk test is your speed limit.
Too much too soon. A great first week tempts you to double it. Shins and knees adapt slower than lungs; stick to the plan.
Skipping rest days. Adaptation happens during rest.
Comparing yourself. Your only competitor is last month's you.
Ignoring pain. Soreness that eases as you warm up is usually fine. Pain that sharpens, or makes you limp, means stop.

Choosing a first goal? The 5K plan is built for exactly this stage.

Questions first-timers ask

How should a beginner start running?

Start with run-walk: a minute of easy jogging and a minute or two of walking, repeated for 20–30 minutes, three times a week. Lengthen the running bits gradually over several weeks.

How do you breathe while running?

Breathe through both your mouth and nose, from your belly, at a rhythm that feels relaxed. If you can’t speak a sentence, slow down; breathlessness is usually a pace problem, not a breathing technique problem.

What is proper running form?

Run tall with a slight forward lean, relaxed shoulders and hands, elbows bent at about 90 degrees, and quick, light steps landing under your body rather than far out in front.

Why do I get a side stitch?

Nobody knows exactly, but stitches are more common after eating or drinking a lot shortly before running. Slow down, breathe out fully, and press gently on the painful spot; it usually passes.

How often should a beginner run?

Three times a week, on non-consecutive days, is the sweet spot for most beginners. It is enough to improve and leaves time for your body to adapt.