Everything You Need To Start Running
Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise. All you need is a pair of shoes, time, and the willingness to put one foot in front of the other. Yet for many people, the perceived pain of running is enough to stop them before they even start. Running can feel intimidating, uncomfortable, and exposing, especially if you’ve never done it before.
The reality is simpler than it feels. An estimated 621 million people run worldwide. You are not an outlier for wanting to start, and you are not alone in finding it difficult.
Becoming a runner can unlock a long list of physical and mental benefits that you can take into your career and relationships. More importantly, there are ways to make running sustainable so it fits into real life rather than taking it over.
This guide looks at running from the ground up, aimed at people who want to understand what they are getting into and how to get started properly.
Why Run?
Running has grown rapidly in popularity. If you had told my younger self that I would enjoy running, I would not have believed you. Before 2021, I avoided it whenever possible.
After reading Never Finished by David Goggins, something shifted. I signed up for my first marathon in 2023 and discovered that running was not about enjoyment in the moment, but about development over time.
To someone who does not run, it can look painfully boring and painfully painful.
Running forces you into the present moment. It takes you away from worries of the past and fear of the future to keep you in the only state we can be in as humans - the present.
Every step, you are faced with the decision to continue or give up. Can you find the energy and will to take one more stride forward? If you can do that, what about the next one?
In work, relationship, and personal goals, progress often comes down to choosing one more when it would be easier to stop. Each step builds physical fitness, but it also builds mental strength.
Beyond the mental benefits, running is also great if you’re trying to lose weight. Running burns a significant number of calories—around 120 calories per mile—which basically means you don’t need to stop eating the foods you love or go on as strict of a diet as some people might make you believe you do.
Running is not just fitness. It is practice in effort, discomfort, and consistency.
Key benefits include:
Improved cardiovascular health
Reduced stress and anxiety
Improved mood
Community involvement
Meaningful goal achievement
Increased mental toughness
The Biggest Running Myth
One of the biggest barriers to starting running is the belief that it requires maximum effort every time.
Many people associate running with being out of breath, in pain, and pushing as hard as possible. That mindset leads to burnout and injury.
Speed is not the priority when you start. Simply putting one foot in front of the other is, no matter how fast or slow you do it. Endurance is the goal.
Most of your running should be done at a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation. This is commonly referred to as zone 2 cardio, roughly 60–70% of your maximum heart rate.
Running slowly allows your body to adapt to the stress of running. It reduces injury risk and builds a foundation that makes faster running possible later. If you get injured, you stop running entirely, and most people do not return quickly to the activity that caused it.
It’s an understandable story, though. Some people don’t like running (or they associate it with pain), so they go as fast as they can to get it over and done with. Then they get injured, which breaks their relationship with running. And repeat.
Slowing down early is what allows long-term progress.
Types of Running Training
Effective running programmes balance different forms of stress. Each type of run serves a specific purpose.
Aerobic Runs
Low-intensity, steady-state runs performed at conversational pace. These runs form the foundation of most training programmes and improve cardiovascular efficiency and oxygen delivery.
Long Runs
Longer efforts that build endurance and mental resilience. Typically over 10 miles, they are essential for distance running and expose you to sustained discomfort.
Tempo Runs
Runs performed near your lactate threshold. These sessions improve your ability to sustain higher intensities and are often guided by heart rate rather than pace.
Interval Training
Alternating high-intensity efforts with recovery periods. Intervals improve speed, efficiency, and VO₂ max. An example is 800 m repeats with recovery jogs.
Sprint Training
Short, maximal efforts lasting 10–30 seconds. Sprinting develops anaerobic power and neuromuscular coordination.
Hill Runs
Uphill running combines strength and aerobic training. Hills improve running economy and muscular strength with reduced impact compared to flat sprints.
Recovery Runs
Very light runs designed to promote blood flow and recovery. These runs support adaptation and reduce stiffness after harder sessions.
Strength Training for Runners
Running becomes easier when your body is prepared for it. Strength training plays a major role in reducing injury risk and improving recovery. Strength training one to two times per week helps protect joints and muscles. It also improves running economy, reduces injury risk, and increases power. Research supports its inclusion in running programmes, so why do so many runners avoid it?
You do not need bodybuilding-style training. Three full-body sessions per week targeting major muscle groups is sufficient.
Prioritise compound movements:
Squats
Deadlifts
Bench presses
Rows
Choose a clear approach:
Low weight, high repetitions
High weight, low repetitions
Random gym sessions without structure waste time. Apply progressive overload and periodisation based on your goals.
Structuring Your Training
I currently run 3–4 times per week, covering 25–30 miles. This volume was built gradually.
Flexibility matters. Life stress, work, and other commitments will interfere. Long-term consistency depends on adaptability.
Example Week
Monday: Recovery run (30 min) + upper body pressing
Tuesday: Aerobic run (45 min)
Wednesday: Lower body strength training
Thursday: Interval session (6 × 800 m)
Friday: Pull-focused strength training
Saturday: Long run (10+ miles)
Sunday: Rest
Injuries
Injuries are common due to repetitive impact and training errors. Prevention is more effective than treatment.
Common Injuries
Runner’s knee
Shin splints
Plantar fasciitis
Stress fractures
Prevention Strategies
Increase mileage gradually (no more than 10% per week)
Strength train consistently
Wear appropriate footwear and replace shoes after 500+ miles
Warm up dynamically and cool down properly
Address minor pain early
Rest and recovery are not optional. Many injuries result from ignoring fatigue.
Nutrition for Running
Nutrition supports performance, recovery, and health.
Disclaimer: I am not a nutrition coach. Apply information cautiously and contextually.
Macronutrients
Carbohydrates: Primary fuel source (6–10 g/kg/day)
Protein: Muscle repair and recovery (1.4 g/kg/day)
Fats: Sustained energy and fat oxidation (~20% of calories)
Hydration
Consume approximately 400–800 mL per hour, adjusted for sweat rate and intensity. Use electrolytes for longer efforts.
The Mental Battle
Running challenges the mind as much as the body.
Discomfort triggers avoidance. Thoughts encouraging you to stop are normal. Learning to continue anyway is a trainable skill.
Each time you run despite resistance, you reinforce discipline.
Mental resilience built through running transfers to other areas of life. You learn that discomfort is temporary and controllable.
Set Goals and Build Systems
Goals give direction. Systems create results.
Whether your aim is to run a 5K, complete a marathon, or simply stick to a weekly running routine, goals help you stay focused. But goals are not achieved in one effort. They are achieved through consistent actions as part of a system that puts you at the centre.
Break any goal down into daily and weekly actions that compound over time. Avoid setting goals that are too big too soon. Many beginners aim for a marathon before they have taken their first step. The goal then feels overwhelming, and avoiding action becomes easy to justify.
Use SMART goals:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Adjust goals when life interferes. Consistency matters more than perfection.
Examples of SMART goals for running:
Running for 10 minutes without stopping this week
Completing your first 5K by the end of June 2026
Running 3 times per week in 2026
Bad weather is part of the process, and it’s also the biggest killer of motivation. No one wants to run outside when it’s cold, wet, and windy. But put your shoes on and go anyway, and you’ll thank yourself for it after.
Goals are nothing without a means to track your progress towards them, either. The best way I’ve found of doing this it to track your progress using a notebook, fitness app, or wearable device such as Garmin or Strava. Seeing objective improvement reinforces consistency.
It will hurt…but it gets better
Running is not comfortable. Your legs will ache. Your lungs will burn. That does not mean you are doing it wrong.
Progress in any area of your life requires stress. Each run is a small challenge, and each one builds tolerance to both physical and mental discomfort.
When I started running consistently in 2023, even 10 miles per week left me sore. Now I run 25–30 miles per week comfortably. The difference is accumulated exposure. The work compounds. The effort becomes manageable. The process becomes familiar.
Learn From My Mistakes
If you take nothing else from this article, remember this:
Running with headphones on is cheating.
Thank you for reading.
