Beginners running guide -Start running now – Weeks 1 to 5

Walking is great but if you wish to build on and perform more intense exercises then you should be thinking about running. To help you on your journey I will share with you this beginners running guide that helped me get out of the house and start to enjoy running.

Walking

It is very important to build your time on your feet and I would recommend that you are able to walk without rest for 30 minutes before moving onto week 1 – Trust me your knees and joints with love you for it.

Build to a brisk walk for the full 30 minutes – Once you are comfortable with brisk walking you can use as your recovery walk below

Warmup for beginners running guide

Before you start running it is essential that you warm up – If you skimp on this you will increase your risk of pulling muscles.

I perform the below for 4-5 minutes before I set off

• Windmills – roll your arms round in smooth circles – this helps loosen up your upper body
• Brisk walk pushing your arms back and forth as if marching
• Stand on your toes then roll back on your heals and rock back and forth
• High knee marching on the spot
• Move sideways like a crab – stand with legs together – move the right leg out to your side – bring the left leg towards it and repeat 8-10 times they change direction back to the start.

You may feel slightly out of breath before you set off _ this is good

Stretches for beginners running 

After you finish a run Always perform a set of stretches – these will allow you muscles to cool down and reduce injuries

• Quads

Pull a leg behind your knee by holding the right hand on the right ankle. Attempt to keep your knee bent in line with a straight knee (not leaning forwards or backward) – DO NOT force

If you have balance problems, either lightly hold onto something or place a finger in your ear ( it does strangely work )

Hold for a count of 15 and repeat for your left leg

• Calves

Put your right foot behind your left and gently bend the right front-facing knee over the toes of your right foot (do not lean too far beyond your toes)

Hold for a count of 15 and repeat for your left leg

• Hamstrings

Extend your right leg (with a loose knee) and point the foot forwards and gently bend your left leg and rest your hand on the bent leg to balance.

Hold for a count of 15 and repeat for your left leg

• Inner thigh

Place your feet at least shoulder-width apart – toes pointing forwards

lean right and bend right knee

Repeat for the left side

Week 1

• First run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 1 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 24 minutes
3. Stretches

During your run, you should be able to hold a conversation – Run slower than you think during these early days and weeks this will enable you to progress further without injuries

• Second run

Repeat your first run or complete a 30-minute brisk walk if you are not able

1. Warm-up routine
2. 1 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 24 minutes
3. Stretches

• Third run

Repeat your first run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 1 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 24 minutes
3. Stretches

This week may seem easy for some but it is essential to build the stress upon your legs slowly, particularly if you are not a regular runner.

Do not run on two consecutive days – leave a day for your body to rest

Week 2

Forth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 2 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 32 minutes
3. Stretches

As you start to get into running longer technique helps considerably – Always try to run with your head up looking beyond 2 meters (6 foot) in front of you. This will enable you to breathe easier and also allows you to use your arms as you run.

Powering your arms forwards as you run will (strange as it sounds) propel you forwards and make running more efficient.

Fifth run

Repeat your fourth run or complete a 30-minute brisk walk if you are not able

1. Warm-up routine
2. 2 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 32 minutes
3. Stretches

Sixth run

Repeat your forth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 2 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat eight times for a total of 32 minutes
3. Stretches

Remember your body needs to rest to repair itself after each run – leave at least 48 hours between runs

Week 3

Seventh run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 3 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat six times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

Eighth run

Repeat your seventh run or complete a 30-minute brisk walk if you are not able ( increase your speed from previous weeks and ensure you keep your heart rate up)

1. Warm-up routine
2. 3 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat six times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

Ninth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 4 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat five times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

Week 4

Things start to get tougher now and you are running for 4 times the length of 3 weeks ago – this is a great start and you should be proud – I personally added a 5-minute brisk walk to ensure I was fully warmed up prior to starting my tenth run and I would recommend this .

Tenth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 4 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat five times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

Eleventh run

Repeat your tenth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 4 minute run with 2 minutes recovery walk repeat five times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

Twelfth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 4 minute run with 1-minute recovery walk repeat five times for a total of 25 minutes
3. Stretches

The aim of the final session is to reduce the time spent walking and increase the intensity

Week 5

This week’s intensity will increase as we build upon your twelfth run of the beginners running guide. It will feel tough but you have already proved how determined you are to get this far – I felt excellent and never thought I could run for this long and so will you, I am sure.

Thirteenth run – Unlucky only to those that let it stop you

1. Warm-up routine
2. 7 minute run with 2-minute recovery walk repeat four times for a total of 36 minutes
3. Stretches

Fourteenth run

Repeat your thirteenth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 7 minute run with 2-minute recovery walk repeat four times for a total of 36 minutes
3. Stretches

Sixteenth run

Repeat your thirteenth run

1. Warm-up routine
2. 8 minute run with 2-minute recovery walk repeat three times for a total of 30 minutes
3. Stretches

End of week 5

if you have reached this point you hopefully feel as proud as I did – I hope you are not too tired and ready for part two of my beginners running guide found here

If you found any part of the sessions really hard – it is acceptable to redo a session but if you have to redo a session more than three times I would suggest you restart from the beginning of the previous week.

I hope you have enjoyed this 5-week routine and are prepared to jump right into week 6.

Please feel free to leave any comment below

Brian

Short-and-intense.com