How to Start Running: A Complete Beginner's Guide

Over the next few sections, I’ll cover what kit you need before your first run, a four-week plan that eases you in with walking and running, how to tell whether you’re pushing too hard, common mistakes, and how to work up to your first parkrun event without dreading every step.

What you need before your first run

I’m one of those people who loves buying new bits of kit, and when I first get into a sport or activity, it’s hard to resist the urge to go shopping. But the truth is that you don’t need that much stuff for running. You don’t have to go out and buy a £200 pair of running shoes or the latest Garmin watch just for the sake of it. All you really need is a pair of trainers that fit you and something comfortable to wear.

Shoes

Shoes are the piece of kit that matters the most. A generic pair of trainers is fine while you’re finding your feet (pardon the pun), but once you’ve decided you’re going to stick with it, it’s worth going to a specialist running shop (Runners Need and Up & Running are two good options) to get shoes fitted properly. Staff will watch you run on a treadmill, assess how your foot lands, and recommend shoes that suit your gait.

Comfortable clothes

Sweat-wicking fabrics will keep you more comfortable than cotton, which tends to get heavy when you start sweating. In winter, it’s a good idea to layer with a light long-sleeved top and a windproof gilet, or whatever works for you. If you normally wear a bra, consider investing in a proper sports bra that provides adequate support for higher-impact activities. Shock Absorber, Sweaty Betty and Freya are known for selling good running bras in a range of sizes.

Activity tracker

If you want to track your progress, it’s worth downloading a phone app like Strava, Runkeeper or Nike Run Club, all of which are free and will tell you everything you need to know when you’re just starting. A running watch is a nice thing to have once you’re committed to running, not before.

Everything else can wait. There are loads of gadgets out there - heart rate straps, gait analysis kits, running-specific socks, hydration vests, compression sleeves - but none of them will make you faster or better in your first few months of running.

Your first session

It’s common to feel self-conscious on your first run, and that feeling can be made worse by uncertainty about whether what we’re doing is right. So here’s a solid plan to help you feel more confident.

Begin with a brisk five minute warm up

Walk with purpose, fast enough to gradually raise your heart rate and warm up your muscles before you start running. At this stage, don’t do any static stretching, but you can incorporate dynamic movements like leg swings, ankle circles, walking lunges, and hip openers.

Start running

Now you’ve warmed up, it’s time for the fun part. Start with just one minute of running followed by two minutes of walking, and repeat that until you’ve been going for 20 minutes. Aim for a pace that feels comfortable rather than fast - this isn’t a sprint, and a slower pace will help you enjoy the run more, which means you won’t end up dreading the next one. When walking, keep up a brisk pace; the aim is to recover, not to rest.

Cool down

Finish with a five-minute walk to cool down. This helps your body start recovery and lets your nervous system transition from high stress back to a resting state. I also like to stretch afterwards to reduce muscle tightness, but this is optional.

A four-week walk-run plan

Walk-run intervals let you build up mileage without hammering your joints or blowing yourself out in the first ten minutes. Remember, it isn’t just your lungs and heart that have to adapt; your whole body has to adjust to this new, high-impact activity.

With that in mind, here's a four-week plan to get you going. It includes three sessions a week, with a rest day in between each one.

If four weeks feels like a stretch, the NHS Couch to 5k is a nine-week version of the same idea, with a more gradual build-up.

Or, if you'd rather have something a bit more tailored, the Coopah app builds a plan around your current fitness and adjusts as you go.

How running should feel

The single best thing you can do for yourself at this stage is to forget about distance for a while completely. It really doesn’t matter. What’s more important is how long you spend on your feet and how consistent you are at getting out of the door even when you don’t really feel like it.

You should be running at an easy, conversational pace. If you can't get a sentence out without gasping, you're going too fast. Slow it right down. Beginners often run their easy runs too hard, and it's the biggest reason people burn out in the first month. Harder runs will come later, once you’ve built up to them.

If you push too hard too soon, the clearest signs will show up between runs, not necessarily during them. Keep an eye out for sleep problems, mood and appetite changes, frequent illness, and a higher-than-normal resting heart rate. If you notice any of these symptoms, focus on slowing down rather than pushing through.

Where to run

Road and trail are the two main types of running, and your preference will determine where you do most of your training. But you don’t have to pick one or the other; if you like to vary the surfaces you run on, that’s perfectly fine. For me, I’m a road runner through-and-through.

Parks and grassland provide softer ground that puts less strain on your joints while your body is still adjusting to the impact of running. A park with a defined path is a good place to start.

Pavements are inevitably where much of your running will probably end up happening, but be aware that they are harsher on your joints and can cause shin splints (pain and inflammation around the shin bone) if you do too much too soon.

Trails and off-road routes are also worth exploring. They provide varied scenery, which keeps things interesting, but you’ll need to watch your footing on uneven ground.

Treadmills are another option and shouldn’t be seen as a cop-out. They take weather out of the equation - always helpful in the UK - and are easier on your joints. You can also set the exact speed and incline, which is handy for practicing steady pacing.

For running in the dark, which most UK runners have to do for a good chunk of the year:

• Wear something hi-vis or reflective
• Take a head torch for anywhere that isn't well lit
• Let someone know your route and roughly when you'll be back

And if you're not sure where to start, apps like Komoot and Strava's heatmap show where other people run in your area.

Common beginner mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Many of these mistakes aren’t exclusive to beginners - even experienced runners fall victim to them from time to time - but they are more common in runners who haven’t yet learnt how to progress safely. Here are the top mistakes to avoid.

1. Running too fast on easy runs

Easy runs matter because they let you build mileage without adding too much strain. But if they don’t feel genuinely easy, you’ll quickly burn out.

2. Adding too much distance too soon

Adding distance too quickly is the fastest way to get injured. A good rule of thumb is to increase your total weekly distance by no more than 10% from one week to the next.

3. Skipping rest days

Rest days are as important as your running days because your body uses them to recover and adapt. Running every day as a beginner won’t make you get fitter faster; it’ll just make you more tired and more likely to get hurt. Take rest days seriously.

4. Ignoring niggles

Most runners have probably ignored a niggle at some point or another because it was inconvenient, but continuing to run through pain - even if it’s mild - can lead to a bigger injury that might sideline you for weeks. If something hurts, take a couple of days off, and if it doesn’t feel better, have a doctor or physiotherapist check it.

5. Comparing yourself with other runners online

Strava is brilliant and also a bit of a trap. Keep focusing on your progress, and try not to get distracted by other people running further and faster than you. They might have been at it a lot longer and might have entirely different goals.

6. Buying kit you don't need yet

Loads of people take up running and then give it up a few weeks or months later. There’s no point investing in expensive kit until you know for certain whether you’ll keep running.

7. Beating yourself up after one bad run

Everyone has bad runs occasionally; it means much less than you think. The best thing to do is forget about it and go again another day.

8. Waiting until you feel like it

If you only ever run when you feel like it, you probably won’t run all that often. Or at all. A big part of getting into running is forcing yourself to lace up your trainers when you don’t feel like it, because you’ll be glad you did afterwards. Don’t wait for motivation to strike; put your shoes on and go.

Sticking with it: building a habit

The first four to six weeks are the hardest because you haven’t formed a habit yet, and you haven’t been doing it for long enough to see any significant results. You’re relying on willpower, which often runs out.

A helpful trick is to plan your runs for the week. If you tell yourself you’re going to run on Monday and Wednesday after work and on Saturday morning before you start your day, you’ll be much more likely to do it. Especially if you write the plan down, or, even better, tell someone else.

Running with other people can also help. A few options:

• Local run clubs are often very friendly and accommodate runners of different abilities. Some offer Couch to 5k programmes to help you get started.
• Parkrun is a free, friendly 5k event held every Saturday that welcomes runners and walkers.
• A running buddy can be another source of motivation. It's much harder to bail on a run when someone else is waiting for you.

Tracking your runs can help too, as long as it motivates rather than demoralises you. Ticking off completed sessions feels great.

Don’t panic if something gets in the way. Everyone gets ill occasionally, and the weather in the UK is often less than ideal. Missing a few runs doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

Your first race

Having a race in the diary is a great way to boost your motivation. It gives you something to work towards and makes your training feel more purposeful.

Parkrun is a good starting point. It’s a free, friendly 5k that takes place across the country every Saturday morning at nine. Walkers are welcome; there’s no cut-off time and no pressure to be fast.

A 5k race is the next step up. These are organised events with a few hundred runners, a timed finish, a medal at the end, and usually a T-shirt to prove you did it. There's often music at the start, people cheering along the route, and a real buzz around the finish. Some are themed, some are for charity, some are part of a bigger festival with food and live music afterwards.

Ready to find your first race? Browse 5ks near you on Find a Race.

Frequently asked questions

How far should a beginner run?

Distance is the wrong thing to focus on when you’re just starting out. Instead, aim for three 20-minute sessions a week that combine walking and running.

How often should a beginner run?

Three times a week is enough to build fitness while still giving your body time to adapt. Running more than that will make you much more likely to get injured.

Should I join a running club?

The honest answer is that it depends on the kind of person you are. I much prefer running on my own and having time alone to think, whereas some people find running clubs motivating and enjoy the social side a lot more. Running with other people often makes it easier to keep showing up.

How long does it take to become a runner?

As soon as you start running, you’re a runner. If you mean how long until it stops feeling hard, most people find things start to click somewhere around week three or four.

Is it too late to start running in your 40s or 50s?

Plenty of people take up running in their 40s, 50s and 60s, and the approach is largely the same as at any other age. You might need a bit more recovery time between sessions, and it's worth checking in with a GP first if you have any existing health conditions, but the running itself works the same way