New To Running? Here’s How To Get Started

Every runner you see out there pounding the pavement had a day one. Every. Single. One. And if you’ve been trying to figure out what your day one is even supposed to look like - we’ve got you.

Whether you just want to add a bit of jogging into your weekly routine for variety and the cardio benefits, you’re coming back from a hiatus, or you’ve got your sights set on an event like a half or full marathon, the first steps of every running journey look pretty similar.

Sweat trainers Katie Martin and Britany Williams are both huge fans of running for the endorphin hit, the sense of achievement and the accessibility - and with some comfy clothes and a good pair of shoes, you can do it pretty much anywhere.

Here’s everything you need to know to kickstart your running journey, ease yourself in and set yourself up for success. Yes, you will feel slow. You will wonder if you’re even improving. You will most likely want to throw in the towel at some points. But you won’t. After all, there’s a reason so many people fall in love with running and you’re about to find out for yourself.

The benefits of running

If you’re still on the fence about even starting your running journey, there are plenty of benefits - many of which you’ll start to experience after your very first run. From improving your fitness, heart health and cholesterol levels to the mental benefits, endorphin rush and time spent outdoors, there are a stack of reasons why running is so popular. And remember - you don’t need to run fast to reap the rewards.

How to prepare to start running

Don’t worry, there’s not too much prep you need to do before your first run, but it can help to tick a few things off to set yourself up for success.

Know your why

Although there is so much joy and fulfillment to be found in running, tough days and gruelling moments are all part of the journey, so it helps to know why you’re doing it before one of those days strikes. Perhaps you want to be fitter for your kids, have a healthy outlet to support your mental wellbeing, or feel a sense of achievement and progress. Whatever it is, make it personal to you.

While reflecting on your why, you might also want to set a goal that you can strive towards and celebrate, such as running 10, 20 or 30 minutes without stopping or running your first 5k.

Speak with a healthcare professional

In good health and have regular check-ups with your doctor? Then you’re probably in great stead to get stuck into your running journey. If this is the very beginning of your fitness journey, you haven’t seen your GP for a while, or you have any health conditions or previous injuries (or just want to be on the safe side), it’s always best to have a chat with your doctor or physio before lacing up.

Invest in good shoes

If you buy one thing before your first run, make it a good pair of running shoes that fit you well and are the right type of shoe for your running style, feet and body. Rather than choosing a shoe based on how they look, try to visit a specialty running store to get your shoes fitted. This typically involves a recorded jog on a treadmill to analyse your running style and identify the right shoe to support your body and help reduce your risk of injury.

Running clothes can be as fancy or casual as you want, but whatever you wear, you want to be comfortable and not even thinking about your outfit. We’re talking leggings that don’t roll down, shorts that don’t ride up, quick-dry sweat-wicking fabrics, sports bras that support the girls without suffocating you, and any bright colours, high-vis items, gloves or warm layers if necessary.

Safety first

Let’s be honest. There’s a very real gender exercise gap and safety concerns often influence how, when and where women exercise. If you’re planning on starting your running journey outdoors, look after yourself before each run by ticking off these safety essentials:

• Have a fully charged phone or watch that can make calls, and run in an area where you have reception, as well as setting up the emergency contact and settings in your device.

• Let someone know where you’re running and when you should be home, and if it’s something you feel comfortable with, share your live location with a trusted loved one or friend.

• If you’re running outside while listening to music or a podcast, wear headphones that aren’t noise-cancelling and set the volume at a level that you can still hear your surroundings.

• Be mindful of driveways and traffic, and try to run in well-lit areas or during daylight hours whenever possible.

• If you don’t feel comfortable running on your own, run with a friend or a run club.

How to start running

Onto the running itself! There are several ways you can ease into your running journey - feel free to pick one that sounds right for you, try a few on for size until you know what you like, or add several into your routine for variety.

Always warm up

Regardless of what strategy you pick, don’t skip your warm up. Seriously. A good warm-up (even five minutes is better than nothing!) will help you to run better, feel stronger, and reduce your risk of injury. A running warm up can include dynamic stretches and exercises such as:

• Powerwalking

• Leg swings

• Bodyweight squats

• Alternating knee to chest and knee circles

• Butt kicks

• Arm circles

• Torso twists

• Inchworms

Start with run-walk intervals

One of the most tried and true strategies to improve your running ability is by starting out with run-walk intervals. If you have a watch or phone on you, you can use any running app you like but really, all you need is a stopwatch. Using landmarks, street signs or lamp posts as visual markers is another option if you don’t have a stopwatch - it just means measuring your progress is a bit trickier.

The most simple and beginner-friendly run-walk interval you can do (on a treadmill or outdoors) is one minute of running followed by one minute of walking, and as you get a feel for your fitness level you can easily change the length of each interval to make it more or less challenging.

For easier intervals, reduce your running time, reduce your running speed, or extend your walking time to allow more recovery. When it starts to feel easy, start by celebrating what a massive win that is, and then increase the difficulty by reducing your walking time or increasing your running time.

And one day (the ultimate aim of the game here), you’ll just keep going and realise you don’t even need the walking interval anymore! Here are some interval options from easiest to hardest to give you an idea of how you can keep challenging yourself:

• 1-minute run, 5-minute walk

• 1-minute run, 3-minute walk

• 1-minute run, 1-minute walk

• 2-minute run, 1-minute walk

• 3-minute run, 1-minute walk

• 5-minute run, 30-second walk

Don’t go out too fast

When you’re excited for your first time, it’s incredibly tempting to walk out the door, blast your new playlist and just bolt it. Run-walk intervals can feel slow and unexciting, but we love them because they work, setting you up for better recovery, progress and less injuries or burnout. Remember, a good run doesn’t always mean setting a new PB or hitting a fast pace. The start of your running journey is all about setting yourself up for long-term success.

Focus on your form

Just like we talk about mastering your form with strength training to get the most out of every movement, the same goes for running in regards to your posture, stride and breathing.

• Breathing: Instead of short, sharp breaths from your chest, try and go for longer breaths from your belly - in through your nose and out through your mouth if you can to stay relaxed and avoid stitches.

• Posture: Think about keeping your shoulders back and down away from your ears, your eyes forward rather than straight down, and keeping your body upright rather than hunching over or leaning backwards.

• Feet and stride: Getting a running assessment at a specialist shoe store can help you figure out your natural running style, but when you’re running, try to have each step landing underneath your hips rather than taking long strides like a gazelle. Shorter, faster strides reduce the impact, injury risk and are more efficient.

How to support your running

Aside from the grunt work that is the running itself, there are a few things you can do to accelerate your progress even faster, make every stride feel stronger and show your body some love.

Add in strength training

According to the International Sports Sciences Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, incorporating strength training in your routine as a runner (or someone who wants to run) can prevent injuries, increase your speed, improve your running efficiency, reduce fatigue and promote recovery, with studies showing that runners who include strength training in their workout mix perform better than those who don’t.

Strength training is something Sweat trainer Katie Martin would never cut out of her routine, having seen the benefits herself with multiple half and full marathons under her belt.

“By incorporating strength training into my routine I find my running posture, stride efficiency, and speed improves dramatically! I also find that I recover more quickly after runs and experience fewer aches and pains. Particularly when I am in the thick of my marathon training I find my body can endure the load a lot more easily,” she says.

If you’re starting with just one running day each week, The 3-2-1 Method with Katie is the perfect option, giving you three strength sessions, two Pilates workouts and one cardio day each week. Otherwise, you can follow any strength training program in the Sweat app or incorporate individual workouts from the On Demand section.

Prioritise rest and recovery

Never neglect your rest days either - they allow your body time to recover and adapt so you improve faster and avoid injury. Be sure to include at least one rest day into your weekly program.

Stretching and foam-rolling after each run can also work wonders to support your recovery and any aching muscles as your body gets used to your new routine.

“Doing too much without an adequate rest day can do more harm for your body than good,” warns Sweat trainer Britany Williams, who recommends including full rest days and easy runs into your routine in order to achieve consistency and longevity.

Challenge yourself with variety

When you no longer feel the need for the run-walk intervals, running for longer time periods or distances isn’t your only option when it comes to improving your endurance, power and speed. You could also incorporate:

• Hill runs or incline treadmill runs

• Sprint sessions

• Trail runs

• Long, slow runs

• Shorter “tempo” runs

• Social runs with a run club

• Unliteral strength exercises such as split squats to strengthen each leg individually

Hydrate and nourish your body

Running needs fuel, so make sure you’re eating enough to power yourself through each session with a balance of carbs, protein and healthy fats each day. If you run in the morning, try to have a light and carb-focused preworkout snack like a banana or honey on toast, and increase your daily water intake to top up any lost fluids from all that sweat and puffing.

This is just the beginning

Once you've established a running routine you enjoy, there are always ways to improve, challenge yourself or keep your runs interesting by changing your pace, distance, route, location, playlist, podcast, or joining an event or running group! The possibilities are endless.

So, are you ready to lace up?