Beginner Running Program

The key to starting your beginner running program is to begin slowly. Give your body time to adjust to your new activity.

The common mistake is doing too much too soon. You'll only end up with a sore and injured body.

Then you'll want to quit before you've really got going. Be smarter than that and remember this saying:

One step must start each journey.
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So let's get to it and learn how to start running.

• Firstly check out Running for Beginners for the important basics.
• Now follow this eight week beginner running program.
• Start each session with some warm up exercises.


• Finish each workout with some stretching.


• If at any time you get sidelined during this program, no sweat just start over again. Sometimes work, family or life gets in the way of our best intentions.

Week One

Plan to complete three workouts in this first week of your beginner running program. Have a least one rest day between each session. Begin with 10 minutes of brisk walking. Then jog for one minute followed by five minutes of fast walking. Do this three times. Finish your last repeat with an extra two minutes of fast walking e.g. 7 minutes of walking before stopping.

Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 3 minutes).

Week Two

Plan to complete three workouts this week with a least one rest day between each. Begin with 10 minutes of brisk walking. Then jog for two minutes followed by four minutes of fast walking. Do this three times. Finish your last repeat with an extra two minutes of fast walking e.g. 6 minutes of walking before stopping.

Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 6 minutes).

Week Three

Plan to complete three workouts this week with a least one rest day between each. Begin with 10 minutes of brisk walking. Then jog for three minutes followed by three minutes of fast walking. Do this three times. Finish your last repeat with an extra two minutes of fast walking e.g. 5 minutes of walking before stopping.

Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 9 minutes).

Week Four

Plan to complete three workouts this week with a least one rest day between each. Begin with 10 minutes of brisk walking. Then jog for four minutes followed by two minutes of fast walking. Do this three times. Finish your last repeat with an extra two minutes of fast walking e.g. 4 minutes of walking before stopping.

Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 12 minutes).

Week Five

Well done! You've made it to the half way point. Now let's extend your beginner running program. Increase your workouts to four this week. Have a rest day between each session. Begin with 5 minutes of brisk walking. Then jog for five minutes followed by two minutes of fast walking. Do this three times. Finish your last repeat with an extra four minutes of fast walking e.g. 6 minutes of walking before stopping.

Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 15 minutes).

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Plan to complete four workouts this week with a rest day between most sessions.

Begin with 5 minutes of brisk walking. Jog for six minutes followed by two minutes of fast walking. Do this three times.

Finish your last repeat with an extra one minute of fast walking e.g. 3 minutes of walking before stopping.


Total workout time is 30 minutes (total running time = 18 minutes).

Week Seven

Plan to complete four workouts this week of your beginner running program with a rest day between most sessions. Begin with 5 minutes of brisk walking. Jog for eight minutes followed by one minute of fast walking. Do this two times. Jog for five minutes followed by four minutes of fast walking.

Total workout time is 32 minutes (total running time = 21 minutes).

Week Eight

Plan to complete four workouts this week with a rest day between most sessions. Begin with 5 minutes of brisk walking. Jog for 10 minutes followed by one minute of fast walking. Do this two times. Jog for five minutes followed by three minutes of fast walking.

Total workout time is 35 minutes (total running time = 25 minutes).

Next Steps

Bravo! You've got staying power. That wraps up your beginner running program. Now you're ready to run with no walking breaks.

Continue to warm up with 5 minutes walking then run for 20 minutes and finish with another 5 minutes of walking. Stick to running four times a week.

Over the next few weeks build up until you're running for 30 minutes with a few minutes of walking to warm up and cool down. You'll get stronger and fitter as you run your 30 minutes three to four times a week.

Remember you can always walk during a run. Some days you might need a walk break before starting up again. The main thing is that you're out there doing it.

After you've been running regularly for six months you'll be ready to spice up your training with some fartlek. After that you might want to train for and enter your first 5K race.

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