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Beginner Running

Lauren M.

How often/How far?

asked 10 months ago | Report

In the past 3 weeks I've taken up running. I'm actually really enjoying it and am excited to see my pace and fitness improve gradually.

The main reason I run is for fitness and just because I enjoy getting out due to my sedentary job. I'm also trying to lose a few lbs that I've put on in the past year. I don't enjoy the gym particularly and running is a lot easier to fit into my routine, as I run in the mornings before work. Not to mention any type of classes or gym membership in west London is more money than I want to be forking out this moment in time.

I'm currently running about 2 miles, 3 times a week. This is more or less my limit for continuous running, but I feel like I could be doing more in terms of frequency and distance. My age and general health are on my side so I think I can do better!

How often/far do you think I should be running? Informed advice would be greatly appreciated!

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  Niquole A.

  Be careful not to push yourself too hard if you're just starting out, it can lead to injuries and burnout before you really see results. I would keep your current runs the same increasing either pace or mileage by No more than 10% at a time and by choosing one or the other when you do. This will help your body to adjust to the new demands ideally without injury. 3x/wk is also a good starting point as long as you give your body adequate time to recover. Hope this helps! :-) Also sent a FR.

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  Kris B.

  I liked running every other day at the beginning. That helped me gain the consistency needed to see results, and kept me healthy. The next step was to alternate long ans short runs. You can define those however it works for you, but consistency is the most important part. Good luck!

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  Erik K.

  Generally, a running program is centered around 3 runs per week. The long run, speed work, and the easy run. I'd suggest adapting something similar. Once each week, try running a little bit longer than normal, increasing just a little each week - go slower if needed. One other day, go just slightly faster than normal, even if you need a walk break or two. The third day, just stick with what you're doing. Over time as your long runs get longer, the other days will start seeming easy and then you can add a little length to them. You may even feel you want to add another day eventually, which is fine so long as it's an easy day. How far you take this is up to you.

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