Overview: How to Start Running

Are you already in the habit of regular exercise? Want to add running to your routine?
You’re ready to run if you’ve spent at least two weeks walking or doing some other form of exercise (like using a stationary bike or an elliptical trainer) on a regular basis – roughly 30 minutes per day, four or five days per week.
(If you're not there yet, go to How to Start Walking.)
Start with run/walks. While it’s tempting to just go out and run as fast as you can for as long as you can, you’ll ultimately run longer, feel stronger, and stay injury free if you start by adding short bouts of running to your regular walks and gradually increasing the amount of time that you spend running. Our Start Running plan, will help you safely add running to your routine and build up to a one-hour workout with a run/walk ratio of 2:1.
You’ll start by adding one minute of running for every four minutes of walking, and gradually increase your running time so that eventually you’ll be running for twice the amount of time that you spend walking.

Beware of the terrible toos. Your main goal is to get fit without getting hurt. Going too far too fast, before your body is ready is one of the most common causes of injuries like shin splints, IT band syndrome, and runner’s knee, which sideline many people. You can stay injury-free by gradually building up the time you spend walking and running, increasing the time by no more than 10 percent from week to week. By following our Start Running plan, you'll get week to week guidance on exactly how much running to add so you stay healthy.

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