begin running

140 responses so far ↓

• 1 pallen // Dec 21, 2007 at 12:30 pm

  I’m on week 3 now and its going OK but I get really breathless by the end and don’t know how I’m going to last an extra 2 mins on the next stage.

• 2 admin // Dec 21, 2007 at 1:42 pm

  @pallen. If your really struggling then just extend that stage for another week. Your bound to get a bit breathless as you asking your body to do more than its used to and the speed at which it adapts varies from person to person.

  The hardest stage for me (apart from week 1!) was week 4 which I extended by 5 days. However I found that after completing the 9 minutes stage at week 6 I had a real breakthrough and felt I could run for much longer than needed to progress to the next stage.

  If your breathing is really causing a problem, or your experiencing any pains, then you should seek medical advice without delay. Hopefully you checked with your doctor before starting the program.

  Good luck with week 3 and let us know how you get on!

• 3 Brian // Jan 16, 2008 at 2:06 pm

  I’m on week 6 and feeling great. I also quit smoking a few months ago and this program had really made running more accessible than it was in the past. I did have a little trouble with week 5 so I extended it for a week. I know I still have a few weeks left, but what’s a good program for training for a my first 5k this spring?

• 4 beginrunning // Jan 17, 2008 at 1:46 pm

  Nice one Brian! I’m glad to hear your doing well and found the plan accessible. Its such a good feeling being able to run when you’ve given up smoking. This plan can be used to prepare for 5k quite easily since it takes your up to running for 30 minutes. While a 5k time depends on age,weight,fitness and gender – its probably going to be no longer than 35 to 45 minutes and maybe nearer 30 minutes. You can add a week to the plan to take you up to 40 minutes which comes very easily. After that, running 3 times per week alternating the following on a weekly basis

  • week 1: 3 x 5km
  • week 2 :2 x 5km and 1x7km (easyish)
  • week 3: 1 x5km then speed day of 1x 2 minutes consisting of running fast for 10 seconds then slow jog for 10 seconds then recovery day of slow and easy 5k
  • Then go back to week 1 and repeat the cycle

  Theres no real need to include the fast intervals and these are probably the quickest way to pick up an injury or twist an ankle. Flat, forgiving ground is vital. I also found that a niggling knee problem didn’t appear until I was regularly doing 40 minute runs, but then I am a bit decrepit! The following is geared to increasing speed for a 5k and seems OK http://running.about.com/od/5kplans/a/advbeg5k.htm. Good luck Brian, it would be great to hear how you get on.

• 5 CT // Mar 11, 2008 at 8:05 am

  I’ve just found your website. Thank you for the outline on how to begin. I was wondering if you have any additional comments for those of us who are very overweight. I am very athletic and although my cardio is pretty bad right now, I am strong and able to work out. I’ve gained a bit of weight over the last few years following having children. I noticed that there isn’t anything about warm up or cool down. Any additional insight is appreciated.

  thanks!

  CT

• 6 beginrunning // Mar 11, 2008 at 10:03 am

  @CT – Glad you liked the outline plan. Re overweight runners – assuming your doctor has cleared you to start running, I guess the most noticeable difference will be increased stresses particularly on joints. You’ve probably got an advantage as your strong and athletic and will know the difference between healthy muscle aches and pains that require attention!

  I would imagine that correct shoe choice will be even more important for the overweight runner as lighter runners can often get away with the wrong shoe type for a while. Also any of the biomechanics related problems may show up earlier since the additional stresses will cause problems more quickly. It could also be helpful to choose softer (but stable) ground if its available.

  As for warm up and cool down you right to point this out. I have to admit that when I started I was too lazy to do either although I’m definitely out of that habit now. To warm up I initially found five minutes brisk walking to be ok with the same to warm down. To end a session, the basic static stretches are a good idea too – theres a few here. I hope you have lots of fun running and improving you cardio.

• 7 CT // Mar 12, 2008 at 7:28 pm

  Thanks so much for the quick reply and great insight. I’ll check back withyou as I progess through the schedule.

  THANKS!!!!

• 8 bonbon // Mar 25, 2008 at 1:49 am

  What speed should i use to follow your 10 week plan? i just tried to run for 2 min followed by walking 2 min and i already find it very tired after workout.

• 9 beginrunning // Mar 25, 2008 at 1:25 pm

  @bonbon – It sounds like you’ve cut your walk recovery period short as on the first week it should be run 2 minutes and walk 4 minutes, repeat 5 times. This should make it a little easier and it will be easier to judge what speed you should be going after you’ve done it a few times. Ultimately you want to be going fast enough to make it a challenge, but in the beginning its a good idea to take it easy and let your body (and your mind!) get used to these new demands.

  Its good to be tired after the workout however you should check with your doctor that its OK for you to run.

• 10 bonbon // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:30 pm

  THanks! Will try that again!

• 11 Shannon // Apr 24, 2008 at 7:40 am

  First of all, I was so glad to find advice that didn’t scare me away from running and looked easy for starters. I was getting in the mindset to just do something, and your advice looked pretty doable to say the least! Well, my little brother (who is obese) and I (also overweight) started your plan! We changed it just a little, and added another week in the beginning, running 1 minute and walking 5 minutes. I didn’t want to scare him, and we are now both hooked! I lost 5 pounds after the first 2 running sessions, and now do basic yoga stretching 6 days a week. There is a big difference and I am so proud of my little brother! I am 22, he is 14, and the plan works for both of us. Thanks!

• 12 beginrunning // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:28 pm

  @Shannon – Its great to hear you and your Brother have found the plan useful and it was a good idea adding the extra week in the beginning to make it easier to get into. You’ve achieved a lot already and your little brother is lucky having you around! The basic yoga and stretching sounds great and I’ve found stretching really helpful, especially with easing / preventing some aches.

  Thanks for taking the time to post a comment on the plan and it would be great to hear how you progress. I hope summer will be a whole lot more fun now you’re running!

• 13 Norm/Toronto // Jun 11, 2008 at 7:54 pm

  Tommorow will be dY ONE.

  My gut measured 44.5 inches.

• 14 Ron // Aug 4, 2008 at 5:23 pm

  Thanks for the great information…
  At 40 years old and 240 lbs I suppose it aint comming off by just laying off the pizza and beer.

  Im at week two and happily 8 lbs lighter. If I can do it anyone can.. busy job, family ect…

  Thanks again

• 15 beginrunning // Aug 5, 2008 at 1:00 pm

  @Ron – Great going there Ron – losing 8lbs in 2 weeks must have put a smile on your face! Cheers

• 16 The Essence Blog » Blog Archive » “Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute – repeat 3 times”, by Ana Piquinela // Aug 11, 2008 at 8:47 pm

  [...] * From http://www.beginrunning.com/plans/easy-running-plan-to-start-on/ [...]

• 17 Aurelia // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:06 pm

  I was wondering at which speed I should be running on the treadmill. I’m on week one and I do the walking portion at a speed of 3.2-3.5 mph. I do the running at a speed of 4.5 (o incline). At the end of 30 minutes, I have finished 2 miles (10 laps) according to the machine.

  Should I increase the speed and if so when?

  Thanks,
  Aurelia

• 18 beginrunning // Aug 13, 2008 at 1:24 pm

  @aurelia – Its hard to say how fast you should be running as everyone has different fitness levels, experience, weight, age etc.

  A good guide is that you should be able to hold a conversation while your running (you might get some strange looks from people on the cross trainer!)

  Its worth experimenting with different speeds until you find a comfortable level.

  The walk period is aimed at letting you recover and drop heart rate while keeping moving, so you shouldn’t be walking too fast . Again its something you’ll want to experiment with.

  After awhile you’ll get a feel for your preferred speed and by the end of the plan will know when you want to increase speed for a faster session and when you just want an easy running day.

  Congratulations on doing the first week.

• 19 tamika // Aug 24, 2008 at 6:51 am

  hi i started exercising today only i pushed myself too hard i ran/walk for 30 min 15 min per 1.86 miles and was feeling a little dissy at the end i am 5ft 6 and weight 175 lb i have not exercised in about a year im just wondering if thats ok for me or do i need try somthing else

• 20 beginrunning // Aug 26, 2008 at 4:17 am

  @Tamika I guess the first thing to recommend would be a visit to the doctor to check everything is OK and it’s safe for you to exercise. Don’t forget to tell them what/how much exercise you were doing when the symptoms started.

  Generally dizziness during or after exercise can occur for a number of reasons. Often it’s just down to overdoing it, especially if you haven’t run for a while or aren’t used to exercise. Other reasons can include lack of oxygen (ineffective breathing or inability to get the amount of oxygen you need for that level of exertion), lack of energy (not enough calories consumed near running session) or a drop in blood pressure.

  Hope you get an all clear from the doc and get back into running at a slightly easier pace!

• 21 niquani // Sep 30, 2008 at 10:25 pm

  tomorro will b my first day. I’m going to give it all I have though. I already walk and run a little but I want to bump it up.

• 22 Jackie // Oct 12, 2008 at 6:14 pm

  Thanks so much! I saw a bit of the Chicago Marathon today and I’m pumped. I’m also very overweight (280 lbs) so I want a program that allows me to take it slow. What do you think about incorporating weights with this program? Because of my weight, I want to make sure my knees are strong and I know a few weight lifting exercises for my legs that will make the joints stronger…or do you think it’ll be too much? I always tend to do too much too fast and that get’s me in trouble. Thanks so much! Wish me luck!!!

• 23 beginrunning // Oct 14, 2008 at 4:08 am

  @Jackie Generally it can be beneficial to incorporate weights, but body weight exercises can help with general strengthening too.

  The most important thing is to make sure each exercise (with or without weights) is performed correctly otherwise it can do more harm than good (apologies if you know the correct form already).

  One or two sessions with a professional trainer can save a lot of agony later on. Advice from a physiotherapist before starting can help too. When you get to know your biomechanics you’ll have a better idea of which areas need strengthening the most and can target weak areas.

  I know what you mean about doing too much too fast – it can be a real problem when it catches up with you. If your like me this running plan is easy to follow and builds up gradually over time. You can always add strength work after a few weeks if you feel like it.

  It’s great to hear your pumped and ready to go! Good luck with the program and let me know how you get on.

• 24 Frank // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:15 pm

  I’ve come across running programs like this in the past, but none that help with troubleshooting. Initially when I tried this, after 2 weeks in to the program, I could barely walk anymore. My knees were shot, my shins shot, my hips, all my joints ached and every day movements seemed impossible. I’m very overweight, and only 27. I was athletic in highschool/college days, but those days are long gone. I now stand at 5’11 and weigh 270lbs. I want to start running again, but the pain I suffered in the earlier attempts has me completely unmotivated. Could it really be just the shoes? Or should I be starting off a different way?

• 25 beginrunning // Oct 16, 2008 at 4:45 pm

  @Frank – Some interesting points here but before I get into specifics I’d say this running plan should be used as a general guide. While you’ll progress faster if you stick to the plan you can modify it to fit your needs.

  As I mentioned above, if it’s a struggle to move to the next week then repeat the week you’ve just done. Another approach to the plan is to simply extend the periods so that, for example, 1 week is extended to cover 3 weeks. This is useful if you can’t run regularly, the plan really is too hard or your using it remedially. If you have a break just return to the plan at the week you feel most comfortable and then work your way back up at your own speed. Finding the level that suits you is a great way to keep motivated.

  Your right about the plan being no good for troubleshooting. Because everyone is so different you may have adapt it according to the issues that affect you. It sounds like you really suffered after the first couple of weeks and it’s impossible to know what your exact problems were. It must have been disheartening to lose motivation like that.

  A good course of action would be to get some professional advice from a physiotherapist. They can identify problems with your biomechanics and a good sports injury physio should also pick out anything in your running style thats causing problems.

  From the extent of your suffering I doubt that its “just” the shoes but the wrong type can have a large effect.

  Your weight will definitely play a part in as much as your body has to work harder and any injuries or issues with biomechanics may show up sooner and to a greater degree.

  You say that you were athletic at college and perhaps this may be adding to your problems. Since you remember being fitter and lighter you may be running too fast and and demanding too much from yourself. Your problems may be caused by overdoing it.

  Maybe the best course of action when you start again would be to get fitted for the correct running shoes at a reputable store. Then visit a physiotherapist and explain the pains you got last time and what your goals are. If given the all clear start the plan again, but this time take things slower and extend each week to cover three weeks, or longer if you have to. You could even prepare by walking for 30 mins 3 times a week before you even start running again. I understand that this will be hard as you used to be fit and your expectations are high but there’s no rush.

  If you add on an appropriate calorie restricted diet and some basic static stretches at the end of each run then you should make even better progress. HTH, Good luck Frank.

• 26 Ella Bella UK // Dec 28, 2008 at 10:27 am

  Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. Repeat 5 times

  Okay i am new to this, infact i have yet to start, i am all geared up to running, but its just words in my head at the mo.

  So, “Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. Repeat 5 times” is that do 2 mins run and then 4 mins walk, 5 times that session, or just 6 mins per night for 5 sessions for the 1st week…

  Thanks! and much appreciated this blog being here!!!

  Ella x

• 27 beginrunning // Dec 28, 2008 at 11:32 am

  @Ella Bella UK – You got it the first time! For week one – “do a 2 mins run, then a 4 mins walk, 5 times that session” (30 mins total). You could do three sessions that week for example one 30 min session on each of the following days: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Let me know if its not clear.

  Glad you appreciate the blog and good luck running

• 28 Ella Bella UK // Jan 13, 2009 at 12:34 pm

  Hello, just letting you know, upto now i have only done 2 x 30 mins sessions, so i guess i am on stage 1 for maybe 2 weeks, only because i have to wait for someone to run with me, as the area i live in, really is not safe for a woman to be on her own. I hurt so much the day after my 1st run, that i am abit shocked i am now on my 3rd run which is tomorrow. Working upto 2 runs in a week, next week hoping for 3. Glad i found your site, keep up the good work! x

• 29 beginrunning // Jan 16, 2009 at 3:30 am

  @Ella – Glad to hear you’ve got off to good start running. Hope you find a partner soon

• 30 Coco // Jan 27, 2009 at 8:34 am

  Hi. I remember seeing a plan like this a couple of years ago, swearing I would try it, and for some reason just abandoning it.

  But seeing all the enthusiastic response this post has generated has made me want to make a serious go off it.

  Before I start I have a bit of a silly question. How do people usually count the time? I don’t have a stopwatch (or a watch)…

  Thanks in advance x

• 31 beginrunning // Jan 28, 2009 at 1:38 pm

  @Coco – Great to hear your ready to make a serious go of it.

  As for counting the time without a stopwatch, you could try a sundial but its hard to measure seconds and they can be a bit awkward

  Seriously though you could try counting the seconds using 1001, 1002 etc. While it wouldn’t be practical in the long term, it may help get you started. If you say it out loud it will have the added benefit of keeping your pace slow.

  Really you need a stopwatch to use any time based training plans. There’s no reason why you couldn’t use a stopwatch on a cell phone if you have one.

  Another alternative is use a distance based plan, although when you’ve just started running it can be a bit demoralizing if the distance is too much. One thing you could try is jogging gently as far as you can once to get a maximum distance. On your next session run (jog) half that distance then walk the other half. Repeat this 4 more times. This will give you one session. Don’t worry if you can’t do all of the repeats in one session, just work your way up to it. This isn’t ideal but will get you going until you can find a stopwatch. Good luck!

• 32 pchieng // Jan 29, 2009 at 12:32 pm

  This is a really good plan for people interested in starting to run. I have been running for years, so even if I stop running for months at a time, I will still be able to at least jog for 30 minutes.

  New runners on the other hand are at a disadvantage and this is where this plan will come in handy. I was running with a bunch of coworkers for a while and we would just go up and back 10 minutes and the instructions for the new runners were to just run and stop/power walk or jog if you get too tired. And I think it worked for a lot of them.

• 33 Keri // Mar 11, 2009 at 2:37 pm

  Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for some excellent advice.

• 34 beginrunning // Mar 11, 2009 at 3:16 pm

  @Keri – thanks for letting me know, its great to hear it helped

• 35 Britney // Mar 12, 2009 at 9:08 am

  Ok, so my husband and I are really starting to get into running. We have a track down the road from us that is open for the public to use. With the length of the track, it takes 4 times around to get to a mile. We do not have a stopwatch either and since we started, I dont find it would be so easy to keep watch on the time while I am trying to jog being as I am concentrating so hard on just the jogging part (I am really just beginning!!) Do you think you could do a break down with the track length for week by week guideline? I think my husband and I could find that very useful! By the way, I love what you are doing and I really find your information to be very helpful!

• 36 beginrunning // Mar 13, 2009 at 5:27 am

  @Britney – It’s difficult to know what to suggest for a distance based plan around a track as everyone’s different and a short distance for one person can be too far for another. With the time based plan you don’t get that problem and if you can get hold of a cheap watch with a stopwatch function you soon get used to using it.

  Having said that, you could use the following distance based plan on your local track to get some ideas. The plan is split into only 8 weeks and might be too fast a progression. You may want to extend the periods over more than a week if the progression is too fast. If your already running you may want to start the plan in the later stages.

  The plan could be used for three days running a week with rest periods between each running day e.g run Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Rest on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Your track 400m so the plan is based on meter distances. 0.5 Lap=200m, 1 lap=400m, 1.5 laps=600m etc.

  • Week 1: Run 200m walk 400m. Repeat 5 times
  • Week 2: Run 400m walk 400m. Repeat 5 times
  • Week 3: Run 600m walk 300m. Repeat 4 times
  • Week 4: Run 800m walk 200m. Repeat 4 times
  • Week 5: Run 1200m walk 100m. Repeat 4 times
  • Week 6: Run 1600 walk 100m. Repeat 3 times
  • Week 7: Run 2200m (5.5 laps) walk 200m 2 times
  • Week 8: Run 4800m (12 laps). Repeat once and celebrate!

  If you add another half lap (200m) on week 8 and do 12.5 laps you’ve achieved 5km! One tip is to run the bends on the outside lane as this is easier. Also it’s good idea to run in the outside lanes if there are other runners on track who are faster than you. Don’t forget to run anti-clockwise around the track.

  I hope the plan gives you some ideas to get started on the track. Let me know if you’ve got any queries and it would be great to hear how you and your husband get on.

• 37 Adil Majeed // Mar 23, 2009 at 5:40 am

  I have a question while running how you maintain this chart “Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes”. Is there a way around on that?

• 38 Ashley // Mar 26, 2009 at 6:40 pm

  I have started similar plans before and failed, but after reading all of these positive comments, I plan to start up again. I have recently quit smoking and so, I am looking forward to getting back into shape.

  I have noticed a number of people ask about how to keep track of your time… Perhaps you could create a playlist for each week and then put it on your iPod or music player. Choose songs close to the 2 / 4 minute range. Then organize them on the playlist in the order you plan to walk/run. i.e.: play a 2 min song, then a 4 min song, etc. Then, every time the song switches, you know its time to switch to walking/running. I don’t know if that would work, but I plan to try it!

• 39 beginrunning // Mar 27, 2009 at 11:37 am

  @Ashley Glad to hear the positive comments have inspired you. Thats a great idea for using songs to keep time and so much more fun than a stopwatch. I think it answers Adil’s question too. Thanks for the tip!

• 40 Emjay // May 3, 2009 at 9:50 am

  Hi! Thank you for this very informative website! I’ve been exercising on and off for several years now, like spinning and boxing, and recently, I tried running. I’ve been running (more like jogging) for 4 weeks now, twice a week, with a distance of 4.4 kms. and 45 mins. per run. The problem is, I don’t feel like I’m improving my pace or going any farther than 4.4. kms. per run. I would really want to be able to run at a faster pace, longer and farther. Do you think I should start with your program, or can you suggest another schedule for people me? Thank you!

• 41 beginrunning // May 3, 2009 at 10:43 am

  @Emjay -Your probably beyond this plan now. Not sure how often your running as it sounds like your fairly busy already with spinning and boxing! To increase your running distance on your longest run of the week just run a bit further, but don’t add more than 10 percent to the distance per week. I progressed more gradually due to the slower recovery of middle age by adding distance every two weeks.

  To improve speed you could include a day of intervals. An example would be 5 min jog warm up then 5×1 min fast then 5 min jog warm down. With the spinning and boxing your already doing fair amount of anaerobic, high intensity exercise so probably don’t want to add too much more in the form of running intervals, especially if age is an issue. However in order to run faster you’ll have to include regular sessions when you run fast.

• 42 Bruce // May 15, 2009 at 5:46 am

  Thanks for the info. Really helpful. I have been running/walking for several months recovering for severe shin splints. I have been using the run walk interval method successfully to get to 3min run/ 2 min walk.
  As I approach middle age myself I find your approach works well. I have found doing core muscle exercises has really helped me run better as well. I am looking for specific exercises on shin splints and wonder if you know of any?

• 43 italo kingcat // May 18, 2009 at 5:55 pm

  i been playing soccer all my life but i think i need more stamina and resistance. is this a good program for me?

• 44 Radiah // May 19, 2009 at 12:05 pm

  Hello, I am super excited because I started running two weeks ago and found out I am doing this wrong. I ran last week on Sunday but the side of my leg has been hurting ever since. It is more painful at night.And I wonder if this is a typical running injury for beginners. I have never ran as a sport. and the last time I can remember running somewhere was in my teens. I use to be in tip top shape. After having my two children I choosed to run to get my heart pumping and my waist size dropped so that I would eventually run in a 5k marathon. Please help me about this pain I am feeling and is there any way to help ease it ? I have th erunners high to run but Im scared about injuring myself.

• 45 beginrunning // May 27, 2009 at 1:00 pm

  @Bruce – Sorry to hear about the shin splints. They’re the one thing I’ve managed to avoid so far! The main exercise I’m aware of relating to shin splints assumes the tibialis anterior needs strengthening and involves walking on the heels with feet pointing upwards. As an alternative I sometimes use the weakest resistance bands with one end looped over the foot and the other attached to something stable. Then a few reps dorsiflexing the foot (pulling the band towards you by flexing the foot). The problem with this is the band often slips off and you don’t really get a full range of motion so its probably not that effective. Before doing either of these exercises you should check with your physiotherapist as they could make things worse. Hope it clears up soon and you can enjoy pain free running.

  @italo kingcat – If you’ve been playing soccer a long time then you’ll probably find the early stages of the plan too easy. You’ll have get used to running at slower pace in the sessions as your used to sprinting during soccer but the plan should help with endurance. If you not doing any soccer training then a couple of interval sessions during the week maybe more sport specific.

  @Radiah – Glad to hear your excited and you’ve done the right thing by not running until you’ve identified what’s causing the pain. The only way of being sure is to see a doctor or physiotherapist. The latter will be able to give you more detailed advice and rehab exercises too. Your description sounds similar to iliotibial band syndrome (which can also be felt in the knee) but only a professional can give you a reliable diagnosis. There’s all sorts of things that can cause pain when you start running including incorrect shoes, biomechanics, running style, muscle weakness, posture etc. Also it can be a shock to the system if you haven’t done any exercise for a while! With the correct running shoes, rehab, strengthening exercises, stretching and taking it easy when you start again you should soon enjoy completing your first 5k. If your doctor/therapist agrees, here is a popular ITB stretch

• 46 Emma // Jun 10, 2009 at 10:49 pm

  Thanks so much for all your advice! I was wondering if you could advise me on getting faster. I am a tennis player and a rugby ref in the off season. At the level that I’m reffing, it’s 30 minute halves which are spent running almost non-stop with 5 minutes for half time. I have no problem with endurance, do not feel particularly tired afterwards and run quite regularly but the sprint is lacking. In order to raise my reffing level, I need to increase my speed but currently I’m unsure how to go about this. If you could offer me any plans/ideas I would be very grateful. Thanks

• 47 greg // Jun 16, 2009 at 4:02 pm

  hey. im 15. 5’10″ 158. im not overweight at all but id like to get more in shape and get my upper body/abs more tone. would this plan help me burn some fat and get tone?

• 48 Dee // Jun 16, 2009 at 6:18 pm

  Hi. I just wanted to say thanks for this plan. It was so simple and easy to use and had a target date I could see and something that seemed pretty radical for me (what run, for like more than 5 mins and outside – eek). In fact my enthusiasm hooked my friend in, which is good cause now we compare notes. We are both in our 40′s and new to running and now on week 5 and really enjoying it. My friend was particularly unsure about running, she said she isn’t built to be a runner – she’s more curvy than me – but she’s loving it more than she ever thought she would. We run seperately during the week and then get together and pick a nice venue like the lakes near us for a joint run. Its been really good so far to keep extending what we can do (we didn’t believe we would make it past running 5 mins when we started) So to keep us on our toes we are booking ourselves in for a 10k run a couple of months after we are due to hit the 30 minute mark so we have another goal to aim for. I’ve become someone who voluntarily puts on my running gear and goes out for runs on a Sunday in the park – who’d have thunk it (not me). So thanks for sharing your so simple yet effective plan!

• 49 beginrunning // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:30 am

  @Emma – You could try including one or two speed sessions per week during the off season depending on how they fit in with your other training and running demands. It could be worth approximating some of the sprint distances you’ll cover during a match. I’d imagine the longest single sprint could be 200 meters (up and down the length of the pitch twice) although this would be unusual (and unlucky!). Generally your probably sprinting between 5 and 60 seconds during a game. For a structured session you could try 5 mins jog warm up then 3 x 1 min fast with 1 min jog or walk recoveries between first two runs followed by 5 min jog then 6 x 30 sec fast with 30 sec jog recoveries between each run. Finish with a 5 min warm down. For an unstructured session, just choose landmarks to sprint to during a 30 min run.

  Improving strength should benefit speed. Even bodyweight only lunges, single leg squats and bridges can help. Plyometrics such as box jumps and hops could be a good start too. If possible, join a local rugby club’s training sessions where they’ll do this and more. Being a referee might make this difficult though and you probably want to avoid a lot of the rugby specific training! Alternatively a local running / athletics / tri club will have coach that would cover this.

  Some agility work may also help you use the speed. Again a some type of coaching at a club is best for this. A very basic form you could start on your own would be shuttle runs around trees or markers (up to 5). From a standing start, run fast around the markers (alternating left to right). This will also help you avoid those angry forwards as they bear down on you at great speed! Finally, core work may help generally and doing some easy work on the same terrain as a match may benefit as they are often played on mud / slippery grass which is more tiring and requires greater strength and coordination.

  @Greg – Yes this plan can help you burn more fat, or at least use up some calories. It will also help you get more in shape. It’s not going to be much help toning or strengthening your upper body and abs though. For that you need specific exercises that target those areas. The program is a good way to get into exercise and is also worth including as part of your overall fitness program. Your also at an age when muscles respond quickly to training and recovery times are faster, a big help in getting more toned and in shape.

  @Dee – It’s great to hear the plan was helpful, you’ve really taken the bull by the horns! Getting a friend involved was a good idea and sounds like you really support each other. Your right that having a goal really helps and entering a 1oK is a real motivator.

  Thanks for taking the time to let me know you found the plan helpful and I’d love to hear how you both get on in the race. Good luck!

• 50 Nathan // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:40 am

  I have trouble with shin splints. I am already in really good shape. I cycle (road and mt) 2 to 3 times a week for 2-3 hours so my cardio shouldn’t be an issue. I am unable to run the 2 minutes at the beginning of the program for more than one session. The fronts of my shins are on fire by that point and I can’t run again for over a week at least! I have purchased a pair of running shoes with inserts recommended to me by a podiatrist but it doesn’t seem to help much. I wonder if you have any suggestions? I would really like to be able to run as well as cycle!

• 51 Nathan // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:41 am

  Just noticed that shin splints have already been addressed. Thanks anyway

• 52 beginrunning // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:56 am

  @Nathan – It’s possible you started running again too soon as you mention not running for a week after the symptoms. Perhaps leaving it a lot longer before trying to run again could help. Walking using the new orthotics will help you get used to them before you run again. Maybe after a few weeks break, if you have full range of motion and no pain you could try a gentle jog. Any hint of pain then you should stop. If it’s OK then it’s worth taking a lot longer to build up the time spent running. Running downhill could also make symptoms worse. A good sports physio will be a help too since there are different types of shin splints and a couple of sessions could get you on the right track. Hope they heal up quickly.

• 53 Diana // Jun 21, 2009 at 9:04 pm

  Im joining the marines soon. Is there any way I can do this process faster? Does it have to be every week or can it be every 3 days or so?

• 54 beginrunning // Jun 22, 2009 at 5:36 am

  @Diana – You can complete the process faster but it depends on age, weight, existing fitness etc. Since your joining the marines your probably quite young and fairly active already so could try to speed up the process a little. The problem with increasing distance too fast is that injuries are more likely to occur – the one thing you really want to avoid if you have to pass a fitness test! You may find you can start the program at a higher level if you done some running already, but wherever you start your first stage should be one week duration. After that you could try progressing to a new stage after 6 days with runs every other day, at the end of 12 days ( two stages) take 2 days off before progressing to to the next stage. But ANY hint of problems such as pains in knees, soles of feet, ITB, heels/achilles or shins then stop, do some stretches, rest and see a physio. Meantime you could maintain fitness with swimming and cycling. Some general stretching after you’ve run is good idea anyway.

  I imagine you plan on doing a mile run in around 10 mins. By measuring your regular running route using the free version of http://www.mapmyrun.com you’ll get an idea of how close to your target distance / time you are. This will also help you set a comfortable pace on the day of your test. To achieve your target you may not need to have progressed through the whole plan anyway, so trying to progress too fast and risking problems is unnecessary. Injury avoidance isn’t just important for the test but also subsequent training as you don’t want to be sidelined due to nagging / recurring injuries picked up earlier. Good luck joining the Marines!

• 55 Trout // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:41 pm

  Hi, I am so pleased to find your website, it has relly helped.
  I am on week two and boy that extra minute running really shows itself. My breathing is okay until that last minute then it gets a bit ragged but not enough to stop. Think I will do an extra week of this routine though as I don’t want to get dishearted.
  Thanks for all the advice I have seen on your pages, its really helps a complete novice who feels that the questions she has are a bit daft.
  In my head I dont believe I can become someone who can run for half an hour but on my blog I see that I have gone from running a minute and nearly being sick, to running 3 minutes. Thank you for youre encouragement to all of us who have no faith in ourselves. I will keep reading.

• 56 beginrunning // Jul 17, 2009 at 3:30 am

  @Trout- Glad you’ve found the site helpful. I remember that struggle on week 2! It’s a good idea to extend it as that can make progress a lot easier.

  Thanks for stopping by to let us know how your getting on.

• 57 Trout // Jul 17, 2009 at 10:56 am

  Hi again
  Sorry to post again so soon but Im on week 3, first attempt and it was HARD. Didn’t think I would be able to finish the last section as the third section had included a hill and I was still breathing hard. I started that last five min run not expecting to finish it but by the last 2 mins I seemed to have got a breathing rhythm and managed to last.
  Wanted to ask if its normal if the burning feeling when youre really out of breath lasts till the next day? Im not asthmatic but do get a bit wheezy occaisionally depending on the pollen and I do take blue inhaler before I run.
  Is it also normal to ache the next day?
  Thanks for the great advice. Thankfully no need for Monkey but yet!!

• 58 beginrunning // Jul 17, 2009 at 12:50 pm

  @Trout – Great start to week three – well done! You should see a doctor about the burning feeling before you run again just to make sure all is OK.

  As for aching the next day (or two) that’s normal when you increase distance, speed etc – especially if running is something your not used to. Some static stretches after running can help with this and it maybe worth eating some extra protein. At least you don’t have to worry about monkey butt yet!

  Hope the doc gives you the all clear and let us know how you get on.

• 59 Trout // Jul 25, 2009 at 4:19 pm

  Have just ran my first mile non stop, ok it took just over 12 and a half mins but Im only on week 3. This was a special run just to see if i’d improved from when i started and could only run for a minute.
  Im going to stick to your plan as although Ive got my breathing right most of the time my muscles and joints etc still need building up.
  You have got me to my first goal of running a mile before Im 40 and its took 3 weeks of your plan so thank you very much. Next goal is to get to 5km but will take my time getting there, but thanks to you I now believe I will get there.

• 60 Gorgeousgray // Jul 25, 2009 at 10:13 pm

  I’m on Week 3 and I thought I better get some clarity on rest days. I think you mean a rest from running. ….So I’ve been doing lunges, weight work, elliptical, stairs…..anything but running on my rest days. (I’m trying to reshape my body). I’m finding that I’m sore before I run…which makes it a little harder at the beginning….but I’m assuming that I’m working different muscles, even if they are on the same legs! Am I supposed to not do anything on the off days?

• 61 beginrunning // Jul 29, 2009 at 4:25 am

  @Trout – that’s great, congratulations on running your first mile! Hope you have fun achieving 5km, keep us posted.

  @Gorgeousgray – As this is a beginners plan the rest days are intended to be low activity days. Some stretching and easy walking to keep things moving is what worked for me in the beginning, however a lot depends on your age, existing fitness etc.

  It’s probably better not to run if your sore from other exercise and lunges and stairs will be targeting the same muscles as running (they are good strengthening exercises for runners). Another problem caused by running when tired or sore is that you may try to compensate and exaggerate any biomechanical problems making pain and injury more likely. Overdoing it also means your progress will be slower as your body isn’t getting enough time to recover.

  You could try cutting your resistance exercise down to one day and see how it goes. Once your body is used to running then you may find that you can gradually increase it.

• 62 Gorgeousgray // Jul 29, 2009 at 9:57 pm

  Thanks! I’m going to take it a little easier on my off days—maybe focus on upper body and abdominals. I want to stay on course and avoid injuries. Thanks again, I appreciate you!

• 63 Cross-Country Newbie // Jul 30, 2009 at 9:51 am

  I joined cross-country this year and my Coach said that I was doing better than some of the other new runners he’s had. My problem is that I have an 8-10 minute mile and I’m slow compared to the other kids on our team. I feel really discouraged about running and our season starts August 10th. I’ve tried all sorts of things like different workouts and running with them, but then I got tired too quickly and had to stop. Do you have any advice to build speed and maintain endurance?

• 64 greg // Jul 30, 2009 at 10:59 am

  hey. i just did session 2 on week 3 and im feelin great. i run around my yard with my ipod. i like my yard because it has some hills so it makes me get a great workout. on my rest days i am doing some ab work and weight training and i think im seeing some results already… running is now a habit for me. its great.

• 65 beginrunning // Jul 30, 2009 at 2:37 pm

  @Cross-Country-Newbie – I can understand why you feel discouraged if your comparing yourself with faster runners, but your Coach says your better than some other new runners he’s trained so you’ve got some potential!

  If your tiring too quickly AND having to stop during workouts then maybe your performing them too hard or fast. For building speed you want to be running your intervals fast – but not so fast you can’t complete all the reps. Perhaps the key for improving your speed is to practice running slower! Try a basic interval session of 5 min jog warm up then 3×1 min fast then 5 min jog warm down – but at a pace where you can complete the whole session. Once your used to that, increase the reps to 5 then build speed. Gradual progression is important. Include hill reps on some days if you can, but again at a pace where you can complete them.

  For distance runs get used to pacing yourself and get a feel for running at different speeds. Include a longer run in your schedule which requires finding a pace that allows you to complete it. Again, gradual progression is important in building distance. Some strength work could also help and your Coach will recommend the best exercises.

  It’s possible you start runs too fast and then tire early, so you may find starting a bit slower would give you a faster time overall.

  Your worries about the season starting soon may have an affect your training now, perhaps leading to you train too fast in an attempt to be fast enough for the season start.

  Psychology is an important factor in performance, especially in a competitive environment. A big ally here will be your Coach who can not only help you improve your speed and endurance but can also help
  with your mental approach. However they need to know how you feel if they’re going to be able to suggest strategies for improving your performance.

  Good luck with the new season and I’m sure your speed and endurance will improve. Don’t forget to let us know!

  @greg – It feels good when you see results and it really sounds like your enjoying that running habit. Hills really hit the spot don’t they!

• 66 greg // Aug 2, 2009 at 9:18 am

  yea man… the only problem is that when it rains because i run outside. like today i was going to run but its pouring so i dont think that’s going to happen.

• 67 Elaine // Aug 6, 2009 at 10:16 pm

  I am looking forward to starting this plan this weekend. I have a 6 month old baby boy and I have about 30 pounds of pregnancy weight to lose. I haven’t exercised in a year so I’m sure it will be tough at first. I’m breastfeeding my son and I’ve heard that sometimes exercise can diminish a mother’s milk supply. What is your opinion on this ?

• 68 beginrunning // Aug 7, 2009 at 11:41 am

  @Elaine – Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy and congratulations on starting exercise again after a year break. Sorry, but I can’t offer any opinion on the effects of running and breast milk supply. I’d be interested to know should you get any information though. Hopefully your Midwife / Ob will be able to give you some advice. Good luck with the plan!

• 69 Sue // Aug 10, 2009 at 12:03 pm

  I keep hearing about the benefits of running but yet I did not know how to start and also I got a bummed knee – so I really can’t run fast – too much jarring. I came across this URL – and look at the plan -week1 – u r already running 2 mins – what speed should I be running – would it be like a power walk speed – or a very slow jog? I also notice that week 10 you will be running for 30 mins a big jump from week 9. Also, it is 30 mins – if this is to prepared for a 5K race – wouldn’t it take longer than 30 mins?

  Sue

• 70 beginrunning // Aug 10, 2009 at 1:11 pm

  @Sue – Maybe if you’ve got a bad knee then running isn’t such a good idea. Not only could it injure your knee further but you could get other problems as you try to compensate. It would be worth getting some professional advice before starting.

  As far as running speed goes, it all depends on how fit your are when you start. Some people may only be able to manage a power walk speed, while others can achieve a slow jog. It may take a bit a of experimenting at first to find a speed that suits you. As long as you can maintain a conversation during the running periods then your not running too fast.

  The difference between week 9 and 10 might seem large, but the only change is you cut the 1 minute walk period and run instead. By the time you get to this stage it doesn’t feel like such a jump.

  Your right that 5k could take longer than 30mins, but it all depends on the individual. Some people may be OK doing 5km in 30 mins at the end of the plan while others maybe running slower and take longer. Some may even do it a bit faster

• 71 Brandi // Aug 29, 2009 at 1:26 pm

  I have been running for 4 weeks now (with last week off due to illness). I am really finding I am “stuck” at about a 2 minute running cycle. I was on a different running program that went from 1.5 mins to a jump of 3 mins and found it was just too much. I am going to try this plan and am excited to give it a try.

  I am curious if anyone else is finding a “wall” as they start out and at what times.

  Also, I am curious how long people are finding it takes them to really be ready to run a 5k? It’s almost September and I am planning to run a 5k in May.

  Best of luck to all and thanks in advance for any replies!

• 72 Sean // Aug 30, 2009 at 3:50 pm

  I was wondering if you had any ideas for a plan to do after the ten weeks. One that would maintain and add to what was achieved in the first ten weeks.
  Thanks
  Sean

• 73 beginrunning // Sep 2, 2009 at 8:23 am

  @Brandi I got stuck on all the early stages! 5 and 8 mins were real sticking points. Even on week 8 i was finding the first 4 mins difficult but I now realise that was partly due to the process of warming up. Because it was a new experience I felt that i just “had” to stop, but once I was used to the felling and carried on, it didn’t seem so bad. As time goes on your body adapts and gets fitter too. It still takes me ages to warm up though! Of course you should make sure there’s no medical reason why your getting stuck.

  For running a 5k you should be fine by May. Many people will be running at or near 5k by the end of the program and even if your not it should be fairly easy to achieve shortly afterwards by adding a bit more time/distance. Good luck with that 5K!

  @Sean Maintaining the first 10 weeks is fairly easy with a couple of runs a week (one should be 30mins or over). Even with breaks of a week or two fitness soon returns. As for adding to the plan then its worth doing some intervals / hills to build speed (there’s a couple of ideas in some earlier comments), add to distance by doing at least one longer run a week (if that’s your goal but build distance by no more than 10 percent per week). Strengthening exercise is also a help, especially if you’ve got biomechanical issues. Specific core exercises can be beneficial too. There’s been some debate about static stretching but I’ve found it helpful. I hope to do a post soon on a couple of plans that I’ve been trying during the last year.

• 74 Starting Over // Sep 2, 2009 at 8:24 am

  Hi,
  I’ve used this plan before and I know others that have too – very successfully. There are also a large number of physios here in Sydney, Aus who recommend this program. And I’ve just sent a link to this site to a friend in Englan d who wants to start running.

  Here are some things that I found helped and some of your readers might find helpful too.

  If starting from scratch or starting over sometimes it’s useful to modify the program a little. For example I found early on that 2/4 was too hard in the first week so I went for 1/5 x 5 or 1/4 x 6.
  And don’t feel defeated if you have to repeat a week or two here and there. It’s not like repeating school and your knees, hips and heels will love you for it.
  I also found that in the earlier weeks reversing the order so that I walked first and then ran was helpful. It helped with the warmup – we’re all short of time so building the warmup into the program was useful. But with any mods it’s important to start following the program as it is written as soon as you can.

  If you haven’t run before or are starting out again I would strongly recommend that you do some leg strengthening for a few weeks leading into the program. There’s an article on this site about having fun with sore knees, flat feet etc. I urge beginners to follow that strengthening program for at least a few weeks before starting the running program. That way you won’t have an 8 week layoff in the middle repairing the damage.

  And lastly, STRETCH at the end of your run. Hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves and especially the Achilles. Not just the lower body but also chest, back shoulders etc as this loosens up your chest and back muscles to allow your lungs to expand more and thus suck in more air.

  Once I completed the program I started doing sprints and hillwork to strengthen up and started signing up for fun runs. 5K at first then built up. I just added a couple of minutes each week to the length of my run. What is critical is don’t try and measure distance, measure your time. The distance will come. You will also find that by the time you can run 30 minutes, running 40 minutes isn’t that hard. Once you’re running 40 minutes 50 minutes will come pretty easily too.

  Within 8 months I was running 10k fun runs in 50 minutes and within 12 months I did the 14k Sydney city to surf in 75 minutes.

  It’s a great program and well worth sticking with. This is what worked for me, it won’t work for everyone but hopefully there are some clues in it for people to use. Good luck everyone.

• 75 beginrunning // Sep 2, 2009 at 8:40 am

  @Starting Over – Some nuggets there! I hadn’t thought of walking first and then running in the earlier stages but I can see it would be a big help with warming up – it seems really obvious now. Also the idea of measuring time rather than distance is worth remembering as that’s caught me out a couple of times! Congratulations on the Sydney 14k and thanks for taking the time to post some great advice.

• 76 Brandi // Sep 4, 2009 at 9:28 pm

  Thanks for the feedback. I hired a personal trainer and began working with her this week. I immediatley saw where I was going wrong. I was really focused on the speed of my run. Once she helped me see to slow down my run to a comfortable level, it became much easier! I realize it seems so simple but I couldn’t see it until I had it pointed out to me. I was so focus that “running means going at this speed” that I was pushing myself into failure.

  Thanks again for all the feedback and best of luck to everyone!!! We can do it!!!

• 77 Gorgeousgray // Sep 5, 2009 at 10:33 am

  Hi again, I’m on week seven-9min/1min and was starting to wonder about the type of ground I’m running on. I have a treadmill that I use when I start a new week and then I try to run the rest of the time on a gravel path around a pond in my neighborhood….I’m preparing for a 5k on asphalt in October and wondered if I should include runs on asphalt soon?

• 78 beginrunning // Sep 5, 2009 at 11:32 am

  @Brandi – Good point, I did the same thing – and still do sometimes!

  @Gorgeousgray – It’s worth including runs on asphalt just so your used to how it feels. It also means you wont worry about not having run on asphalt before the race . If you run on an asphalt road with a camber this can be a strain. If safe, try to avoid the camber which is steepest at the edge of the road, or find some asphalt without too much camber. I hope you have a great 5k and it would be good to hear how you get on.

• 79 Ryan // Sep 24, 2009 at 11:24 am

  I’m 25 and i’ve been smoking for about 4 years now, i was considering starting running as a starting point to quit smoking, do you think this is a good idea or do you think i should attempt to stop the smoking first and then start running?

• 80 beginrunning // Sep 24, 2009 at 11:53 am

  @Ryan – If you started running first it could help motivate you to give up smoking as your sure to get a bit breathless

• 81 Gorgeousgray // Oct 6, 2009 at 3:10 pm

  Hello again! I finished my first 5k this past Sunday. So here is another endorsement for your running plan! I could only job comfortably a half mile when I started. I began the plan on July 23rd and ran my 5k on October 5th! My clothes are much looser although I’ve had neglible weight loss – I was and am substantially overweight…..but I prefer how my body feels now than how i felt in July….that is significant. I have historically had hip and ankle issues–but doing what you said–not skipping weeks and jogging at a talking pace kept me relatively injury free. I’m super proud and amazed that I can jog that far! I jogged about a 15.5 minute mile….the terrain was asphalt, the first mile was on a pretty nice incline and the last two were pretty hilly with a “hit the brakes” decline between mile 2 and 3—I was glad to hit the decline! So now I would like to increase my pace. I feel like you I saw that you had some sugggestions earlier in this blog. I’m pretty short (5ft) so I’m not sure what speed I should expect to get to–but I’m going to try….maybe there is a 10k in my future!

  Thank you for your advice and help! I am really grateful. I’m changing my body and my expectations of myself and you are part of that!

• 82 beginrunning // Oct 7, 2009 at 12:23 pm

  @Gorgeousgray – Congratulations – you did it! All that hard work and perseverance paid off and you should be really proud of your achievements. Hope you have fun increasing your speed and distance. I suppose a good speed to aim for is a bit faster than last time! (although not too much too quickly)

  From what you say it seems like you’ve gained benefits in addition to being able to run 5k and it’s nice to know the plan contributed to that a little. I’m Looking forward to hearing how your winter running goes, so keep us posted.

• 83 sj20 // Oct 11, 2009 at 1:32 pm

  Great plan…..My husband and I are looking for something exactly like this. We have trained together before but recently we have done very little exercise and we’d love to get fit again and lose some weight. Thank you. I hope we suceed.

• 84 beginrunning // Oct 19, 2009 at 3:53 am

  @sj20 – It’s great when your partner is into running too as you can encourage each other. It can even get a bit competitive! Good luck to both of you

• 85 Sammy // Nov 29, 2009 at 3:09 pm

  Well this is a great plan and its so nice to read that i am not the only person in the world that needs to start at a realistic pace……..here goes!!!

• 86 TC // Dec 13, 2009 at 2:50 pm

  I feel terribly out of shape, so I will start this programme tomorrow. I will let you know how I get on. Hopefully I will lose a few stones. By the way, I want to share this page on my facebook profile. How do I do it?

• 87 beginrunning // Dec 14, 2009 at 4:12 am

  @ Sammy – It’s all in the pace

  @ TC – Good luck starting the plan, looking forward to hear how you get on. You can share this page with this facebook link and I’ve now updated the social bookmark options at the end of the post.

• 88 Kyle // Jan 5, 2010 at 11:58 pm

  I have cystic Fibrosis (i have the docs approval – push myself to the limit ) and i am determined to to able to run my 12km Citybay fun run in september. I have give myself plenty of time to be able to train for this event and your training schedual is a great start.

  Are you able to help me out with the rest of the training?

  Again thanks

• 89 beginrunning // Jan 9, 2010 at 7:39 am

  @Kyle – Great to hear you’ve a supportive Doctor! Once your comfortable with 30 min runs it’s helpful to see how much distance your covering in that time. You can use the free version of mapmyrun to check route distances.

  Your next target after 30mins could be an hour. The progression I used for this was to add 15 mins on one longer run every other week – e.g. First week 30 min run on Mon and Wed then 45mins Sat. The next progression would be 30 min run on Mon and Wed as before but increase to 60mins on Sat. You don’t have to add 15 mins, you can choose the progression that works for you. You may also want to include faster runs or some other exercise. The important thing is to get adequate rest days after longer or harder sessions. Good running posture should really help breathing and a coach or running club can help here.

  Have fun with the 12km Citybay and it would be great to hear how you get on with training during the year.

• 90 Kyle // Jan 10, 2010 at 2:28 am

  Thanks heaps and yeah i will let you know for sure how i go thru the year

• 91 Bruce // Jan 23, 2010 at 2:04 am

  Thanks again for your advice last May – I have keep going and am now through the shin splints. I have used your plan and with the help of a very good physio am about to run for 30mins on Monday for the 1st time in 22 years – YEEHAAA.
  I started my recovery work in May 2007 with walking,massage and stretching. As you can tell i am excited and a bit nervous.
  I am now setting my next goal and read your last reply with interest. of running 10km. I am planning to do a couple of 5km fun runs now and start to get in it. I also am planning to plateau myself at 30 mins 3xweek for 4 weeks to consolidate. I’ll then do as suggested above. Do you have any other thoughts?
  Thanks Bruce

• 92 Travis // Jan 24, 2010 at 12:11 pm

  Thanks so much for the program guide. Im starting it today—hopefully I stay motivated and make it through to the end.

• 93 Dee // Jan 24, 2010 at 4:24 pm

  I posted a comment in June saying me and a friend (unfit, early 40′s, overwieght) and were on week 5 and looking at doing a 10k as our next step. Well I’m pleased to say we have now done two 10ks. Ok we are slow, and I mean we hugged the back of the race, but we still get round it. I roped my brother into running recently as he had stopped his regular karate training – and I passed on what I had learnt – good shoes, take it easy (he was definately going at it like a mad hare to start off), rest days etc and his poor knees he was worried about appear to have forgiven him and he did his 10k in an hour (we took 1hr 12 mins the second time. I even got a run in on Christmas Day through the snow – slow going but really nice, peaceful. So we are still a little amazed we’ve done 2 races since May and I find it surreal that I now jog the 4 miles home to get a run in during the week . We’ve found that the aches and pains have changed as we run more, some parts don’t ache anymore and others do. Recovery is quicker now and there is still no denying the virtuous feeling after a run. I even take my kit to London when I go with work and run along the Thames and past the Houses of Parliament for a change . I can’t wait to see what we get up to after May when we’ve got a year under our belt. Good luck to anyone building up to week 10 and beyond. Believe me the aches do get better and I hope you are having fun finding out how great your body is and how much it likes to get out there and have a bit of a run.

• 94 RAS // Jan 25, 2010 at 10:29 am

  Am I really posting a message to a running blog? Never in my 40 years would I have guessed that one. Over the holidays, my friend I got to discussing turning 40 and the things we did as a reaction to that reality (I changed jobs, he ran a marathon). I told him I never liked running, couldn’t get into it, and just don’t like it. He challenged me to give it a try, suggesting we run together in a 5K on May 1, 2010. Not one to back down from a challenge, I accepted. He sent me to your page, and today I began the program.

  Day 1 felt good. With iPod on, I started with a 2 minute walk to warm up, then began the alternating 2 run/4 walk, with a 2 minute walk cool down. With zero incline on the treadmill, my speed was set at 3.0 for walk and 5.0 for run.

  My question is regarding my “off days” … can I work out on the eliptical machine between run days? (which I enjoy doing) Should I use the weight machines? Should I just surf YouTube?

  I have enjoyed reading other posts as well for motivation. At 5’8″ and now 230 lbs. I need motivation to keep me moving. Telling everyone I am running in a 5k in May, was also a good way to keep me “honest”. I don’t want to look like a fool or a quitter. Thanks for your plan and your feedback.

• 95 beginrunning // Jan 25, 2010 at 5:02 pm

  @Bruce – Great news on recovering from shin splints and especially on going for that first 30 min run after 22 years! I can’t really think of anything to add as you seem to have got the essentials covered and it sounds like you know your body really well now. You’ll probably know it better than your physio soon

  I guess that after 4 weeks consolidation you’ll gradually increase time/distance running and maybe include some speed work as described above. The speed work isn’t a necessity as it depends on your goals and has to be weighed against greater risk of injury. If you think of any tips or suggestions while your training that could help readers it would be great to hear them.

  @Travis – Thanks for the comments . If you’ve managed to get started then you’ve already achieved something. Sometimes it’s easier to stay motivated by focussing on just completing the following week (or even the following session!). That way the plan doesn’t seem too overwhelming.

  @Dee – Nice one! 2 races since May and jogging home to get a run in – you’ve obviously found a running groove! And you had the added challenge of running with someone who needed to slow down.

  You’ve explained the journey from just starting out to being a regular runner so well and I know exactly what you mean about that virtuous feeling after a run. Thanks for the update and I’d love to hear about your running journey in the coming year.

  @Ras – Congratulations on getting started. As the elliptical trainer mimics walking / running then it could help if you use it gently on the occasional off (recovery) day. At the beginning of the plan you may prefer to have a gentle walk rather than a gym or weights session. As Bruce and Dee have explained above, after a while you’ll get a feel for what your body needs in terms of recovery. Proper rest days can help motivation as your going to be fresher for your next session and less likely to pick up injuries. There are some good running vids in YouTube so that might help with motivation too! Good luck.

• 96 Carly // Jan 29, 2010 at 3:27 am

  I’ve been researching some running plans and just came across yours. I loved reading through all the comments! I’ve managed to get up to 30 plus minutes in the past, albiet slowly, but I know I pushed myself hard and as a result it often wasn’t very enjoyable. I’m older now [not by much!] and I’m going to take your advice and start slow this time – and take those rest days! Thanks for what looks like a very realistic plan, and thanks to everyone who has shared their questions, problems and achievements – I’ve found it very motivating. Tomorrow is day 1 of week 1.

• 97 mark watts // Feb 4, 2010 at 5:36 pm

  hi my wife and i, both mid forties, are on week 3 of the plan and doin fine except my wife struggles on the first two runs then runs alot better for the last two, any tips? thanks mark and jackie

• 98 beginrunning // Feb 6, 2010 at 9:40 am

  @Carly -Glad you’ve found this motivating. Slow and steady is definitely the key. Good luck!

  @mark – Sounds like your wife hasn’t warmed up until the last two sessions, which makes the first two more of a struggle. Comment #74 by “Starting Over” suggested doing the walk sessions before the run sessions to help with warm up and maybe this could help. Perhaps slowing the first two run sessions might make it a bit easier. I know it takes me ages to get going and some days take longer to warm up than others!

• 99 Sonja // Feb 9, 2010 at 3:51 pm

  Hi,
  I really want to start the plan, but unfortunately I can only run two days a week! My schedule is jam packed and the day I am free my gym in closed ( I currently am living in a place where I can only run inside). The days I can run are Tues, Thurs, and Sunday. Have any suggestions for a way to start off on two days until I can run outside?

• 100 beginrunning // Feb 11, 2010 at 6:08 am

  @Sonja – If you can only run twice a week you could try spreading the plan over a longer period. So your “week 1″ schedule would be to run Tue, Thurs, Tue. Then “week 2″ would be Thur, Tue, Thur.

  By the time you get to run outside you should be some way into the plan, but you can always go back a week or extend a week if you need to. HTH

• 101 Slo // Feb 11, 2010 at 1:00 pm

  Hi,

  Thanks for the tips, it has made getting from sofa into running shoes much less daunting. I’m currently stuck at week two! My problem isn’t my fitness as i cycle quite a lot but I’m having to skip days because of really painful shin splints. I’ve tried started running using the POSE method in order to avoid this type of thing, but i suspect that i may be doing it wrong and it may be aprt of the problem. The real question is, is it normal for begginers to suffer from shin splints from such a gradual build up?

• 102 beginrunning // Feb 12, 2010 at 12:27 pm

  @Slo – If your getting shin splints then you need to stop running completely and deal with those first. Although you’re skipping days this isn’t long enough to allow for full recovery and the underlying cause is still there to come back and bite!

  My preference would be to visit a physiotherapist first to identify the cause of the problem and work on their recommendations before returning to running. I realise The Pose approach may be different as they would see the problem as arising from incorrect running style and shoes. However if your going to follow this method then it’s important to do it correctly as you could make the injury worse. A Pose instructor would help in this case.

  Although program here uses a gradual build up it’s not uncommon to encounter problems such as shin splints early on as any biomechanical issues or weaknesses are exposed. It can be disheartening… and a bit painful, but you get to know your body even better

  I’d be interested to hear which approach you follow and how you get on. Hope you recover soon.

• 103 Holly // Feb 22, 2010 at 12:48 am

  started walk/jog somewhere between 3-4months ago….have worked up to 25 minutes walking followed by 15 minutes jogging (basically an approx. 3 mile loop) I’ve hit a plateau. Any suggestions to increase time jogging? I’m trying to avoid having to take steroids for asthma.

• 104 RAS // Feb 22, 2010 at 10:00 am

  First thank you for this awesome Begin Running plan! This post is for everyone who sees this and says, should I do this? … I don’t know if I can. I am now beginning my 5th Week and this plan has been AWESOME! (Technically I am on Week 4: 7 min run/3 min walk; I repeated Week 3′s schedule because I didn’t get my full runs in for the week and felt the jump from 5 mins to 7 minutes would have been too great without proper preparation.)

  So I started as someone who hated running and weighing in at 230. I now look forward to my runs and I am down to 224. It may only be 6 pounds but at age 40, 6 pounds is like losing twice that at age 30.

  Here are some of my tips:
  - Get a good pair of running shoes! In Chicago we have a place called Fleet Feet, where they will look at how you run, measure your feet, look at your arches, and get a pair of shoes that is right for you.) I’m very flat-footed, so my shoes and extra support insert we key. So all you flat-footers, you can do this too! I spent about $140, which as my friend told me is enough to make you feel guilty if you don’t run, and sometimes that’s all the motivation you need.

  - Keep a daily journal. Mark down what your treadmill tells you: distance, calories burned, speed, etc. As you improve it is a great motivator. Also find some good motivational quotes and write them in your journal. RunersWorld.com has a “Daily kick in the butt” they can email you to provide some motivation.

  - Weigh yourself weekly. Track your progress. Eat better than you were before. I haven’t ditched all my bad eating habits, but getting rid of most of them helps. Trust me, I know I need to lose more weight because at 5’8″ and now 224 lbs, this is not a body built for running… but I am getting closer to one that is.

  - I am going to run my first 5K on May 1st. I have been telling everybody I know of my goal. this has helped keep me going. I don’t want to be seen as a quitter!

  - I think the longer runs, 7 minutes are actually easier to sustain than the 5 minute runs and 2.5 minute walks. I think once you are moving it easier to just keep moving than slowing down to walk. I also set my treadmill speed to SUSTAINABLE speeds, generally 3.3 walk/4.5 runs. It’s better to maintain apace you can run at than burn out and not be able to finish your run. ALSO, IGNORE EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU on the other treadmills. The temptation is to increase your speed like the people who have been running for a longer period of time. This will just set you up to fail your run. Set YOUR PACE, and SUSTAIN YOUR PACE.

  - Set your iPod or other MP3 player with songs timed to your workout. Have it change where your run/walk time changes, and keep the beat up to where your running pace should be.

  THANK YOU again for this great plan! If you are ready to begin, trust me, YOU CAN DO IT!!!

• 105 beginrunning // Feb 22, 2010 at 12:32 pm

  @Holly – Your doctor may have some suggestions regarding managing asthma during exercise without using steroids. From what you say I’m assuming you walk for 25 minutes and then run for 15 minutes. If this is the case then maybe as you approach your limit at around 15 mins your breathing becomes much harder, triggering your asthma.

  If your doctor agrees you could try starting this plan at week 5 which involves running 8 minutes, walking 2 minutes and repeating this 3 times. The idea is that by alternating running with walking you have time to recover and actually run for a longer period overall. This allows you to build up your aerobic capacity so you can run for a longer period without increasing your respiration rate. If Week Five of the plan is too difficult then try an earlier week. Another factor to consider is the speed at which you run. You may find running slower is helpful too. Good luck and let us know if you find anything useful for other runners with asthma.

  @RAS – Great progress and some excellent tips! As you say, tracking your progress is really helpful both for motivation and reward and I know what you mean about eating habits improving too. It seems like running kick starts a whole load of other healthier lifestyle changes. The tip about maintaining your own pace is really important. I always find it hard not to speed up when someone runs past me, even if I’m out for slow, relaxing session!

  Good luck with that 5K and thanks for taking time to post your ideas and words of encouragement. It will be really helpful for all those wondering if they should have a go.

• 106 Dyanna // Feb 26, 2010 at 2:45 pm

  Thank you so much for posting this running plan. I’ve tried others without sucess, but I started this in early January and am proud to say that I’m up to eight weeks and going strong! Something about this particular schedule is genius for me. Each time I easily get to the 5 minute mark now, I smile to myself, remembering the first couple of weeks and how intimidated I was to hit the 5 minute week. It seemed huge at the time. Today I ran my second day of the run 9/walk 2 week (your week 6), and I feel great. It seems amazing to me that I got here.

  I think for me, this works because of the 30 minute limit, and 3 days/wk. I found at other times starting out I would be so motivated and anxious to improve, that I did too much too soon. I tend to get shin splints, and that invariably derailed me after a few weeks into a running program. I’m using a treadmill, so I’m learning how to stay just under the splints – when I feel it coming on, I back off a couple points on the speed but keep to the plan. It works like magic. Then the next time I run, I can usually maintain the speed I want.

  I also repeated a week when I felt like I wasn’t strong enough to move on.

  I’ll keep you posted on my progress. After finishing this program, I want to gear up for some local summer 5ks.

  Thanks SO much!

• 107 Holly // Feb 28, 2010 at 11:29 pm

  thxs for suggestion to start with 8 minute intervals. I’m through my first week and it feels already like I’m past the plateau. Also, doc is completely behind me running. Next question, is there a device, watch, stop watch, etc that you can program to beep at the desired time intervals? Anything to make it as easy as possible would help.

  Thanks
  Holly

• 108 Stella // Mar 8, 2010 at 3:44 pm

  In response to all the messages re: timing, I use my mobile phone (just a cheap nokia) which has a “countdown timer” application as part of the “organiser” icon.

  I just program in my 2minute/4minute periods on the interval timer, activate the “automatic continue to the next period” setting and stick it in my pocket. The phone then beeps at the end of every period and automatically goes on to the next one. Easy!

• 109 Mark // Mar 16, 2010 at 10:50 am

  Can this plan be used for both treadmill and outdoor jogging? I ask because I do not run outside due to severe social anxiety. At what speed should I walk and run? I currently set the jogging speed at 6mph with a 2.5 incline. I set the walking speed at 4.0 with a 2.5 incline. Is this sufficient or should I alter this to simulate outdoor exercise?

• 110 Margaret // Mar 19, 2010 at 8:31 am

  @beginrunning – thank you for the running plan. You must be pleased with all these motivational comments.

  I am a 42 year old, very overweight female and if I can do this anyone can! I am about to start Week 6 and pretty proud of myself so far.

  I have always been worried about my wobbly bits wobbling too much when I’m running. I also got embarrassed about they way I run (not a natural runner) and how slow I run.

  I signed up for a 5K for Cancer Research so straight away I have a goal plus I WANTED to run it and not walk it. You seriously need to want to be able to do this as I have only just realised it is about your mental AND physical ability.

  I purchased running shoes which weren’t too expensive but they make a huge difference. I may now invest in a better pair as I know I want to keep this up now. If you are running alone (which I chose to do in case I slowed someone down ;o) you really need to push yourself to get up and out which is not always easy and this is where the mental side of it comes in.

  Initially I waited until it was dark to run so that no-one would notice my big red face and wobbly bits! I am running outside (in freezing Scotland) but I always run by the side of main roads with lighting as you need to stay safe. Now my confidence is building, my breathing is getting better and I run in the daylight and I try to forget about everyone else around about me although I do tend to pick out quieter places to go running. I am still slow but I don’t care as I know my body needs to get used to the breathing and the impact of the running. I am sure that I will get faster in time.

  I also purchased a cheap plastic watch with a stopwatch (£2.50) to record my times and then it’s just me and my iPod and off I go. I am considering purchasing a Nike+ iPod sport kit (you don’t need Nike+ trainers to use this) now as you can upload the data from every run and monitor your progress. I never thought I would even consider anything like this. But I am. And it’s great. And I feel so much better for doing it. Don’t get me wrong ….. it’s not easy but it’s rewarding when you finish. Although I sometimes struggle through the runs I usually end each one with the thought that it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated.

  So on that note all I can say is “Carpe diem” ….. it’s time to “seize the day”! Good Luck.

• 111 Whats the best way to ease into jogging? - Diet and Weight Loss -Weight management - City-Data Forum // Apr 12, 2010 at 5:45 pm

  [...] Easy start running plan – Run for 30 minutes in just 10 weeks I thought this site was informative. [...]

• 112 liz // Apr 27, 2010 at 12:34 am

  i started this almost two months ago and was halfway through the third week when suddenly ALL of my motivation dried up!
  i’m great with motivation to start something but after a little while i seem to just forget how important it was to me at the beginning… does anyone else experience this?
  any ideas on how to get through this rough patch next time i try? does it get easier after that point?
  great website by the way, i love how you take the time to answer peoples questions!

• 113 Running after a break // Apr 29, 2010 at 9:14 am

  [...] previous breaks from running I’ve started at week 13 of the beginners running plan to get back into the swing of things. This time I’m going out for slow, 20 minute runs [...]

• 114 beginrunning // Apr 29, 2010 at 10:09 am

  Apologies for yet another long delay in replying!

  @Mark – You can use the plan for both a treadmill and outside. You could try setting the treadmill to simulate outdoor running and if this is too hard then go slower or adjust the settings.

  @Margaret – It’s great to hear your experience, it sounds like your hard work has not only improved your physical fitness but your self confidence too. Like you I enjoy running alone but, as you say, you do have to push a bit harder! Good luck with your 5k. It should be even more rewarding knowing its for a good cause.

  @Liz – This is pretty common and I’ve certainly suffered with lack of motivation. It really affected me when I’d just started but still gets me if I’m facing one of those nasty circuits sessions. It does get easier after a while, especially when running has become a habit.

  One thing in your favour is that your motivation didn’t dry up until half way through the third week rather than halfway through the third session! Next time you can’t get motivated to go out, just get your running shoes on and tell yourself your only doing a walk warm up and run for 3 minutes (or whatever a single running period is for the week your on). If you do the whole session that’s great, but if you only do 3 minutes then that’s better than nothing at all and you’ve won an important psychological battle having at least achieved something. Glad you like the website – HTH

• 115 RAS // May 6, 2010 at 2:02 pm

  Well, I did it. On May 1, 2010, I completed my first 5k Run. At age 40, I have now done something I have never done before … running further than ever before. (Even in high school we never ran more than a mile or mile and a half.) And I am so glad I did!

  It wasn’t pretty, and I set no land-speed records; finishing in 42:00, which did include about two stretches of quick walking for 1/4 and then 1/2 mile. But it was a personal best, and I am able to sustain my runs longer than when I began the program in January walking 2 mins. and running 2 mins.

  I still struggle at times, more with my breathing rhythm than leg fatigue. I get so winded … probably since I am still carrying 215 lbs. on my 5’8″ frame — however that is down from 230 lbs. when I began 15 weeks ago.

  In addition to running, I have been alternating workouts in the fitness room on the elliptical, bicycle, and rowing machines as well as group bootcamp-type exercise sessions.

  So while it was a challenge to do my first 5k, I know it will be MUCH easier this time next year. My plan going forward is to participate in one 5k Run each month, continuing to improve my endurance and speed. Thank you for providing such a great plan for beginning runners!

• 116 beginrunning // May 10, 2010 at 11:42 am

  @RAS – Congratulations on that PB! You really made great progress. It certainly feels good being able to run further than when your were young too! As you say, it will get easier if your weight drops further but you already made good progress. With the extra cross training you’ll enjoy some improvement all round. Thanks for letting us know about your progress, it’s a real inspiration.

• 117 Yll Bajrami // May 11, 2010 at 2:52 pm

  I just finish my first run it was great.My question is what can i drink after the Run and what is good to eat after run.

  Thanks

• 118 beginrunning // May 14, 2010 at 5:39 am

  @Yll Bajrami – Glad to hear you enjoyed your first run. For a post run drink plain water is fine, but not too cold! If you’ve been sweating a lot then any of the sports/ isotonic drinks is fine or you can make your own diluting some fruit juice to taste in 1 litre of water and adding a small pinch of salt. This will give you some carbs too. As for post run food then you can reward yourself with a favourite snack – as long as it’s a healthy one! If your trying to lose weight then you don’t want too many calories. Include some protein to help with muscle repair. I often use whey protein shakes after a run or workout but they can lead to some embarrassing gas .

• 119 Bridget // May 26, 2010 at 2:39 am

  Before starting this program I was able to run for 15 minutes straight (at 9km/hr) on the treadmill but that was an absolute struggle and I felt like dying afterwards!
  Ive just started on week 3 and although it’s obviously a bit more challenging than the previous week it feels good and I’m really enjoying it.
  This is a great workout plan. Hopefully I’ll do okay with the next week.
  Thanks very much for posting this.

• 120 Jen // Jun 9, 2010 at 8:13 am

  I just wanted to say a big thank you for the programme. I’ve just completed week 10, and I’ve still got 4 weeks until my first 5K (Race for Life). The good news is I’m nowrunning 5K in the 30 mins, when I first started it was more like 3.5 – so it just goes to show how much progress can be made when you stick at something!

  I managed to get through the programme with only one setback around week 4 – when I really struggled to run for more than 5 mins after I’d been on my feet at work all day. Sadly, that means getting up very early to run before work now, but it works much better for me that way.

  Things that have helped me:
  Music! I tried the suggestion of putting songs on my iPhone that fit the timings of the training, and that helped. Now I’m running for 30 mins straight, I create different playlists to keep my interest going – and I time the music to fit specific parts of the route (like a really loud song to get me up a particular hill, or something really motivational for the last 5-10 mins!) Need to be careful about not running to the beat of the music – which can really mess up your pace!

  Runkeeper – an iPhone/iPod app that tracks your time, distance, pace and so much more. Uploads it to their website and there’s graphs and all sorts you can look at. Only problem is if your GPS signal is too weak, it won’t work – which does happen on occasion

  I think I’m getting the ‘bug’ now. For the first few weeks it was a chore, I really had to motivate myself to get out there (maybe the weather didn’t help!) but now I’m actually finding myself looking forward to my next run and the desire to do it far outweighs any desire to sit on the sofa and watch TV!

  It hasn’t been all plain sailing. I’ve had times where I really wanted to stop along the route and walk back home, or miss one because I’ve had a bad day at work, etc. But having a goal and a specific deadline has been a tremendous help. No matter how hard it gets, I hold on to the sense of achievement and how good I feel after a run, and that gets me through.

  It’s not always hard, though – some of the runs have been positively easy and pleasant! Always end on a positive note!

• 121 The Wider The Base, The Taller The Peak at Sensible Living // Jun 17, 2010 at 11:55 pm

  [...] also following a 10 week plan to allow my body to become accustomed to the stresses and challenges of running. For each week, I [...]

• 122 RAS // Jun 29, 2010 at 11:20 am

  Just checking in to add an update to my previous posts for any newcomers debating whether this whole “running thing” is a good idea.

  I’m 40 years old. I just ran my second 5K on June 19th. My first was May 1st. My goal was to finish around 36:00. My first was 42:00. I finished at 36:40, so pretty close to my mark. Even though I’ve gotten better at running a 5K distance in practice without stopping, on this particular race day, I did find myself walking a bit to catch my breath after a hill at about the 2.75 mile mark. (Who put that stupid hill in there anyway?) So I won’t beat myself up too much, but it makes me say, “Why didn’t you just keep going???” They say this running thing is mostly mental, and there’s another example.

  I haven’t lined up my 5K for July yet but I will shoot for a time under 33:00. I’d prefer to hit under 30:00, but I’m not sure if I will get there.

  Another positive side effect, weight loss. Before I started doing any exercise back in January, I was around 230 lbs (maybe 232, but I seriously have blocked that out so I don’t for sure and I wasn’t tracking my weight back then). I’m now at 212, so I’ve lost close to 20 pounds. I’ve bought a few new shirts, size L instead of XL, and a new belt… the other one didn’t have enough holes on the smaller side. I’m also getting more frequent comments from people about the weight I’ve lost, so this is very rewarding.

  I have to admit, it hasn’t been all running, I run maybe once or twice a week for distance, but twice a week for an hour I’m doing a bootcamp style workout with a local group, and that has been great too. I’m eating better, smaller portions, but eating out is still a huge hurdle in my very busy life.

  Thanks again for a great plan! You got me started on my way to “Maintaining a Healthy and Active Life” (as I like to say), and I can’t thank you enough. You have made a positive difference in my life.

• 123 Att borja springa « Stina i London – Sveriges bästa Londonblogg // Jul 6, 2010 at 10:08 am

  [...] Kalla: Begin Running# [...]

• 124 Lurch // Jul 8, 2010 at 2:28 pm

  Once I reach the 30 mintute stage, how long should I sustain that level before increasing my time? Is it better on the body to remain on that stage for a while (6 months to a year) to allow my joints and muscles to grow stronger or should I just keep increasing weekly by 10% as long as my body is in no pain and I am not struggling.

  In case this helps: I am 6’6 inches tall, at a normal weight and a non-smoker. I jog two of my 3 runs on the treadmill and the final jog I run outdoors.

  Any suggestions would be appreciated. Both from the author and any random guests who happen to read this question.

• 125 beginrunning // Jul 8, 2010 at 4:19 pm

  Thanks to everyone who recently commented.

  @Bridgette I hope you continued to enjoy the program and got to where you wanted to be.

  @Jen Great to hear from you again and thanks for the useful tips. I love the idea of matching parts of a playlist to parts of the route and you make some really helpful suggestions re motivation. As you say, it’s important to end on a positive note. It makes it easier to run the next time enthusiasm is lacking as you know your going to feel better whatever you’ve achieved. I hope your first 5km was fun.

  @RAS Seems like your enjoying running and getting faster too. I find the hills always seem to be in the wrong place too! Doing other types of exercise really makes things interesting and I think it’s beneficial for improving general fitness/health. Thanks for the update and encouragement for those wondering if they should try the plan.

  @Lurch Everyone is different so when you feel ready to increase then have a go see how you get on. I gave it a week before I increased but 2 weeks may be safer. If you want to wait longer then that’s OK too. If your increasing your running time then you may be comfortable trying more than 10 percent but as you say, you have to listen to your body. I increased by approx. 33 percent to 40 minutes, however after about three weeks of regular 40 minute runs I started to get some knee pain. The pain was down to biomechanical issues and some strengthening exercises and a physio dealt with that OK. In retrospect I should have been more careful and I had to stop running for a while .HTH and good luck.

• 126 jessica // Jul 16, 2010 at 3:13 pm

  im 11 years old. my height is 4ft 9 and i weigh 108 pounds. i have little muchsle. i want to know if thats a healthy weight for a 11 year old to have. and if its not i want to do this program.

• 127 little nik // Jul 17, 2010 at 5:27 am

  hi i am about to start this plan i am a little nervous as i haven’t really run before. i am on the overweight catergory but not by much so hopefully i can improve my weight. i do alot of walkin as i walk to and from work everyday so i hope i will be able to at least run home from work one day

• 128 beginrunning // Jul 23, 2010 at 12:20 pm

  @jessica – I’m sorry but I can’t tell you if your weight is healthy for your age as you would need to see a Doctor or other health professional for that sort of advice. If your concerned about your weight then you could also talk this through with a parent, guardian or teacher as a starting point. Muscles tend to grow more as you get older so there’s plenty of time before you need to worry about those!

  It’s important for everyone to check with their doctor before they start this running plan in case they have any health issues that could cause a problem. The plan can help people lose weight but would need to be used along with a healthy diet to have that effect. Again this is something a professional could help you with. I’m sorry I cant be more helpful but I don’t want to suggest something that might be harmful.

  I think you’ve made a great start in taking responsibility for your health. With that approach I’m sure you’ll be successful in getting fitter and managing your weight if that’s needed. I hope your able to get some good advice and it would be great to get some updates on your progress. Good Luck!

  @little nik – Good luck starting the plan, lots of people are nervous when they start regular running for the first time, so your not alone. Fitting the plan into your existing routine is a good idea as it should make it a bit easier – and every little helps!

• 129 Kirk // Jul 24, 2010 at 7:23 am

  I agree with the Admin comment made on December 21st 2007. Something happens once you complete the 9 minute stage at week 6 that makes running less of a chore. That was a dangerous stage for me because it was tempting to run much further that the plan called for. I repressed that urge because I am desperate to avoid injuries. It pays off in the end to take it slow and easy while still challenging yourself.

  9 weeks is a very short amount of time in hindsight. Good luck to all.

• 130 railhead // Jul 30, 2010 at 8:54 pm

  so my twins are going to be Juniors in high school and they made me a challenge that before they start college in 2 years they want us as a family to run a marathon! I am 35 and overweight although i was a great runner in high school track that was 17 years ago this plan looks like a great start but can you help me build a plan for the next 2 years so i can run a marathon at the end!!!!

• 131 subrata // Jul 30, 2010 at 9:00 pm

  i want to run 1600 meter in 6minite then please suggest me what type of plan or schedule i need .our track is 200 meter please reply soon

• 132 beginrunning // Aug 1, 2010 at 12:01 pm

  @Kirk – It’s a strange experience as new runner and is so tempting to go over the top. I think you hit the nail on the head saying 9 weeks is a short amount of time.

  @railhead – There’s nothing like a challenge to help motivation! A 2 year marathon plan is a bit beyond the scope of a short reply here and depends on if you want to run all the way, run and walk or if you have a target time.

  Once you’ve completed the beginners plan the you could start by doing 2 – 3 runs a week of 20 -30 mins with one long run per week. On the first month your long run could be 45 mins. The following month (or stretch this over a longer period if preferred) increase the long run to 60 mins. From here it depends on you goal but you could continue until you get to a long run of 90 minutes. Then you can consolidate for a period before building up distances slowly again. Eventually you’ll be doing long runs that vary in distance from week to week of between 10 and 20 miles. As usual, add on strength, speed and flexibility routines.

  You’ve got a lot in your favour as there’s 2 years before the race, you were a great runner in high school and your only 35! For an easy to follow marathon plan The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer is good.

  @subrata – Great question but I don’t have the knowledge to give you a good answer! A couple of points are worth mentioning though. If you’ve never done any running before then you want to build up slowly and the plan here will help get you started and improve your aerobic capacity. You need to be able to run continuously for 30 minutes anyway.

  Since your targeting 1600m in 6 minutes you’ll be running faster than most people following this plan and you’ll have to deal with lactic acid a lot sooner than those of us following a sedate running program! Including intervals in your training schedule will help with this – e.g 4x200m with 100m jog recovery (run 200m fast, then jog for 100m to recover. Repeat 4 times). This is just a basic example and there are lots of different intervals and training plans. This website might give you some workout ideas but go easy at first as you can’t run if you get injured! You’ll also want to improve running specific strength so can include resistance exercise on some days too. Good Luck

• 133 Kyle // Aug 19, 2010 at 6:57 pm

  hi again, well i just thought i’d let you know that my plans for the year didnt go to plan and i am unable to run my citybay fun run in 2 weeks. My health with the cystic fibrosis has been playing up and i have suffered with a few sever chest infections and now am on some medications that have a side effect of achilles tendernitis. ….I will run it one day thou .

• 134 Mark // Aug 22, 2010 at 4:22 am

  I just finished week 10 today. This was a great program. I plan on maintaining 30 minutes for another 2-4 weeks until attempting to do more. Ultimately, I would like to build my endurance so I can run 40-60 minutes. 30 minutes goes by too quickly and I can feel myself starting to want more.

  I also recommend this website which is a great way to map potential and current routes for your jog, http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

  It provides milage, elevation and Google Earth, gps technology. I am always on the lookout for safe places to run. With the Google Earth view, you can determine which streets have sidewalks and wide shoulders. You can also bookmark the routes you create and add them to your “favorites” on Internet Explorer.

  This is a link to a route I created, http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3959457. When you change the view to “hybrid” you will see a Google Earth view. The route takes me directly over a local lake and the view is amazing.

  Thank you, BeginRunning, for this great running plan.

• 135 Sharon // Aug 23, 2010 at 8:48 am

  I am just starting to run and enjoying it although my breathing is a major problem………I am 40 and thought I was reasonably fit. Please give me some advice on how to lose weight. I am 5ft 5inch and just over 9 stones……………

• 136 melissa // Aug 24, 2010 at 1:42 am

  I just started the plan, and it’s going great. I am not overweight, but does can running get rid of a little extra fat?

• 137 beginrunning // Aug 24, 2010 at 4:24 pm

  @Kyle – Sorry to hear your plans for the fun run didn’t work out. The medication sounds really unpleasant. I hope things improve soon and your able to start running. Thanks for the update and good luck!

  @Mark – Glad you liked the plan. That 60 minute run isn’t far away! I can’t see your route as that website was not working when I checked.

  @Sharon – It’s important a doctor confirms it’s safe for you to run, especially as you say your breathing is a major problem.

  One common issue when people start running is that they run too fast and get out of breath quickly. I did this for some time but didn’t realise until I used a heart rate monitor and saw how high my heart rate was when I was meant to be doing an easy run. You don’t need expensive gadgets, just make sure you can hold a conversation while running. If you run alone then you may get some funny looks to begin with but this will help you get used to an easy running speed.

  Warming up is also important and you’ll be a bit breathless when you start a session. A 5 minute walk before the run can be a help. A little breathlessness is a good thing as it means your working hard!

  I’m not really the person to give weight loss advice although I’ll write a post soon on my partners experience combining a diet plan and the beginners running plan. Generally, weight loss requires a calorie restricted diet in addition to exercise.

  @Melissa – Running can help reduce fat. All running burns calories while long, slow, aerobic running (as in the plan) can result in the body burning fat for fuel if you run for long enough.

• 138 Megan // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:14 pm

  How do you know when to move on to the next week, or to extend the current one longer? I am at the end of week one, and I get quite breathless while running, but do not have to stop. It isn’t easy, but I can do it. Should I move on to week two? or keep with week one (if so, until when?)?
  Another question, I get cramps when I run (around my ribs) how can i prevent this?
  Thanks!

• 139 liberated4life // Aug 28, 2010 at 10:02 pm

  how many days in a week i should run?

• 140 beginrunning // Sep 1, 2010 at 10:36 am

  @Megan – Many people find they can move on to the following week immediately but it’s OK to take longer if you want. As you’ve finished week one and don’t have to stop while running then try week 2. You will get a bit breathless and it shouldn’t be too easy. As you gradually increase the demands on your body and mind, week by week they adapt so you become fitter and stronger. If you do experience pains or worrying symptoms then you should stop and get medical advice. It’s recommended to get a health check first just to make sure it’s safe to run.

  Running cramp around the ribs (AKA stitches) can be caused by a number of things e.g. running too soon after eating, dehydration, running too fast and even landing awkwardly. If you eliminate some of these you may find they’re not such a problem, especially after you’ve run for a few weeks, although every runner gets them now and again. If you walk for a while they should ease but the proviso of seeking medical attention if you experience any ‘unusual’ pain applies. Good luck with Week 2 and the rest of the plan.

  @liberated4life – For this plan run 3 days a week but always have at least a one day break between each running day.

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