If you want to start running, there are some considerations you can advantageously make beforehand. Spending a little energy on it gives you a much better starting point, which is vital for new runners. Unfortunately, the risk of injuries is quite high for beginners, mainly due to an inappropriate approach to training at the start.
Why do you want to start running?
First and foremost, we need to understand why you want to start. The incentive not only affects how you plan your training but also allows you to gain insights into your motivation for running. This knowledge helps you maintain your motivation in your running training and/or ensure you have multiple reasons to run.
There are as many incentives as there are people – some I've encountered over time include:
- To live a healthier life
- To lose weight
- Because running is time-efficient
- To challenge oneself on a specific distance
- To unwind
- For the running experience itself
- As part of a community
- To improve in another sport
Regardless of the reason, understanding your motivation helps you manage your motivation better. It doesn't mean you should only run when everything aligns perfectly, but understanding your motivation can make it easier to handle when it's harder to get going.
It's also important to emphasize that it's completely normal if you have to push yourself to go on many of your runs. We are fundamentally comfort-seekers, and the sofa often seems more appealing than a run – but most would agree that you rarely regret a run once you get going!
Ultimately, this knowledge helps you structure training in a way that you won't struggle with over time – continuity in training is crucial as a runner. The body is incredibly good at adapting, but it does so in small steps. Therefore, good running training is primarily about giving the body continuous stimuli to improve gradually – many small streams make a big river!
As time passes, tying your running shoes will likely become easier as you build habits around running. These habits are a huge help for you and can be a primary focus for a beginner.
What is your starting point as a runner?
Knowing your starting point is also a significant advantage. If you haven't run for years, your muscles, tendons, and bones aren't accustomed to the running load. Conversely, if you come from soccer, your body is already used to running, even though soccer involves more varied running directions and speeds. Your lower legs will be better equipped for the load, but you still need to adjust to the more uniform movement in running.
Your starting point as a runner significantly influences how you should begin. And if in doubt, start more cautiously to avoid running injuries!
Planning Running Training for Beginners
The most crucial aspect of a beginner running program is avoiding injuries (and getting out there). As long as you run and avoid injuries, you'll progress as a beginner. The more you run, the more important it becomes to train specific parameters, which you shouldn't worry about at the start.
Know Your Intensity
Managing intensity when running is essential for a beginner's training. Understanding intensity helps avoid overload and ensure you get the desired outcome from each session.
A key to developing as a runner is variation. Variation includes running on different surfaces, in different shoes, and at different paces. Different paces are synonymous with varying intensity, a crucial element for both development and injury prevention.
The best way to manage intensity is by using training zones. Different intensity areas are defined using heart rate, pace, and/or power, helping you know which heart rate areas to stay within for easy runs or intervals.
There are various methods to find your training zones, which we have a full article about if you're interested: "Guide: How to Find Your Training Zones"
Patience
The best start comes from arming yourself with patience. As mentioned, muscles, tendons, and bones need time to adapt to running loads – increasing training too quickly risks structures that can't keep up, leading to injuries.
Muscles adapt relatively quickly, while bones and tendons take longer. Muscle soreness after training is familiar, but bones and tendons don't provide the same feedback. Essentially, beginners should train lighter than they feel capable to allow bones and tendons to catch up.
Patience is a valuable trait for a beginner; enjoy the process, and take comfort in knowing the best training feels somewhat easy.
Running Volume
There's no right or wrong way to define running volume, but it's wise to consider several factors, as volume relates to the load on your body during training.
Running load is affected by:
- Total running time/distance
- Distribution between high, moderate, and low intensity
- Changes in familiar training patterns
- Pace/training type
- Elevation
- Surface
- Shoes
- Running style
Also, consider other daily loads – from sleep to chores. Regardless of the source, your body handles it!
Finally, remember not to overload unnecessarily! Increasing weekly km too fast won't yield significant benefits – at worst, it may lead to injury or stagnation.
Find a level where you challenge your body slightly and notice positive responses to training. When you experience stagnation, increase the load slightly again.
Suggestions for Beginner Running Program
The most important aspects of a beginner program are:
- Avoiding injuries
- Building good training habits
Due to the above, many beginners find it beneficial to keep both volume and intensity low initially. This reduces injury risk and makes it more manageable to lace up the shoes, forming good exercise habits.
Base intensity on being able to converse during most training. If you need to walk to maintain appropriate intensity, start with that and enjoy the outing. Add a small amount of higher-intensity running – as little as 10% of your weekly volume!
Weekly Example of a Beginner Running Program
A beginner program with 3 weekly sessions could look like this:
- Session 1: Easy run for 20-30 minutes. Walking or running – the key is ease!
- Session 2: Easy run for 20-30 minutes with some faster running.
- Could be a couple of 30-60 second runs followed by 2-4 minutes of walking or easy running.
- Could be quick runs between lampposts, followed by 1-2 lampposts of walking or easy running
- Session 3: Easy run for 20-30 minutes, like session 1.
If possible, vary your routes to run on different terrains – soft, hard, flat, and hilly. Varying terrain provides more diverse load, strengthening the body appropriately and reducing injury risk.
Want to Follow a Running Program?
When ready for a more structured program, find various programs targeting different distances here. Remember, you'll have the best experience following a program that's not too challenging – start easier rather than too hard!
Find all programs here: ALL RUNNING PROGRAMS
