Your first 5k

So you are interested in running and you would like to get started? Well let's do it.

Lots of people have been turned off running by trying to start off doing too much and running too fast. Your body won't appreciate it, and you will end up miserable, wondering why anyone would possibly want to do this to themselves!

You should ease yourself in to a running program. In fact, the beginners' program I outline here is less of a running program and more of a walking and jogging program. The idea is to introduce you and your body to running, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in under a couple of months.

One of the key things for you to do here is to not try to do too much in the early stages of running. It's easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. You will feel at times you can do much more but if you can stick to the program you will likely go on to run on a regular basis and get some real enjoyment from the experience. Also don't feel pressured to continue faster than you're able. Repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you feel you're ready to progress.

Getting Started

Each training session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, it's a good idea to work out three times a week to begin with. That just happens to be the same amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimum health, wellbeing and fitness. This program will get you fit and start you on your life as a runner.

Very important point now, your body will improve during your rest periods! So make sure you give yourself the chance to recover from your workouts, always have a rest day between your runs. Also don't worry about running too fast, your focus for now is gradually increasing the time or distance that you run.

Run for time

This program will improve the amount of time you run for and not focus on the distance you are running. Just run at a pace that is comfortable for you and we can work on the distance later. As you get towards the end of the program try using google maps to get an idea of the distance you are running. It's not important to have the distances absolutely exact as your goals here are to get fit, healthy and active through running.

Before setting out, make sure to precede each session with a five-minute warmup walk or jog. Be sure to stretch both before and after. More on dynamic and static stretching will follow but a walk for 5 mins will be suitable for now. Remember to pick days that suit you to run, this is about you and not the training plan!

Full training plan available here: Your first 5k