How to Start Running (Without Hating It or Quitting in 2 Weeks)

Have you ever had that moment when you decided you were going to start running?

Maybe you wanted to lose weight. Maybe you wanted a new hobby. Maybe you just liked the idea of being someone who runs.

You thought, “How hard can it be?”

So you lace up your sneakers, head out the door… and five minutes later you’re gasping for air, your legs feel heavy, everything feels uncomfortable, and you’re already negotiating with yourself about turning back.

You get home and think: never again.

This is how most running journeys end before they even start.

The fastest way to quit running is to start it wrong.

So if you’re wondering how to start running as a complete beginner, this is the approach I recommend. Not a strict program. Not a race in 8 weeks. A foundation that actually makes running sustainable.

1. Adjust Your Expectations About Running

Running may seem simple, but it’s not easy, especially when you’re just starting.

Many beginners assume that if they can cycle for an hour, swim, or lift weights at the gym, running should feel fine too. That’s usually the first mistake.

Running is high impact. There is constant landing on one leg. The same muscles work repeatedly with very little relief. You don’t get to coast like on a bike. You can’t switch strokes like in swimming.

If you’ve never run before, don’t compare it to other sports. Your cardiovascular system, joints, tendons, and even your nervous system need time to adapt.

Expect it to feel challenging at first. That doesn’t mean you’re bad at running. It means you’re new.

2. Build the Habit Before You Follow a Running Plan

When people search for ways to start running, they usually want a program. But before you follow any beginner running plan, build the habit of showing up. Lay out your clothes the day before. Prepare your shoes. Decide on the time. When the moment comes, get dressed and go outside.

At first, don’t even run. Just walk.

Your only goal at the beginning is to become someone who goes out consistently at the time they planned. That’s it. Once that feels normal, start adding light jogging intervals. Nothing dramatic. No all-out efforts.

There is no point in planning a 12-week training schedule if you cannot stick to the simple act of getting out the door.

Running is built on repetition, not motivation.

3. How to Start Running With Intervals (The Beginner-Friendly Way)

If you’re a true beginner, interval training is one of the safest and most sustainable ways to start running.

A simple structure works very well:

• 5–10 minutes warm-up walk

• 10–20 minutes walk–jog intervals

• 5–10 minutes cool-down walk

A good starting point could be:

• 1 minute jog / 2 minutes walk

Repeat as many times as feels manageable. That first session becomes your benchmark.

Once that feels easier, move to:

• 1 minute jog / 1 minute walk

Then swap the interval:

• 2 minutes jog / 1 minute walk

Gradually extend the running portions. Build toward 5 minutes of continuous jogging. Then 10, or more if that’s your goal. 

Eventually, you can transition from time-based training to distance-based training. A common guideline is increasing your weekly mileage by no more than 10 percent. It’s not a magic rule, but it reduces injury risk.

And remember: most of your runs should feel easy (low heart rate, conversational pace). If you cannot speak in short sentences, you are likely going too fast.

Easy should feel almost too easy in the beginning.

High-intensity intervals, sprints, and tempo runs are only a small part of the program, and they are usually introduced later on, once your aerobic base is solid enough.

Make your runs as easy as possible and enjoyable. Don’t ever max out and exhaust yourself during the workout. Once your brain links running to pain instead of pleasure, it may be quite challenging to undo it.

4. Don’t Just Run: Add Strength and Mobility

Many runners focus only on running, especially once they start enjoying it. They lace up, head out the door, run, come back, shower, and move on with their day. In reality, running needs more than just running.

Core strength helps you maintain posture, especially as distances increase. Mobility improves stride efficiency. Upper body strength prevents slouching, which directly affects breathing mechanics.

If you lift weights and run on the same day, prioritise based on your main goal. If strength training is the focus, lift first. If improving your running is the focus, run first.

Running may look simple, but long-term progress depends on support work.

If you want extra help releasing tight fascia (aka massaging yourself), I personally use this foam roller (#ad).

It’s a simple, effective tool that helps loosen the muscles around your hips and back — perfect for prepping your body for a smoother run, and helping in a post-training recovery.

5. Recovery Is Part of Any Beginner Running Program

You don’t get fitter during the run. You get fitter during recovery.

Without proper rest, you are not building capacity. You are gradually increasing fatigue and injury risk.

Massage, self-myofascial release (SMR) with the foam roller, stretching, proper nutrition and sleep are an important part of every effective training program.

Lack of deloading weeks can contribute to overtraining and burnout as well. So incorporate lighter training weeks. 

A very simple structure could look like this:

• Week 1: Low intensity/mileage

• Week 2: Medium intensity/mileage

• Week 3: High intensity/mileage

• Week 4: Deloading/Recovery

You don’t need complicated periodisation as a beginner. Just look at the big picture. Are you constantly pushing, or are you allowing your body to adapt?

6. Do Beginners Need Running Drills?

Running drills focus on things such as cadence, stride mechanics, coordination, and push-off.

For complete beginners, they are not essential.

However, they can improve posture, efficiency, and body awareness. If you enjoy learning the technical side of running, adding short drill sessions can make your training more engaging.

Remember, however, that they are tools, not requirements. If you decide to include them in your training program, don’t overdo it. One or two sessions per month are more than enough, especially at the beginning, when you should focus more on building consistency.

7. Expect Breaks (And Don’t Panic When They Happen)

If you want to keep running long term, understand this: there will be breaks.

You might feel less motivated. You might travel more. Another sport might interest you. It happens to everyone.

I started running in my early teenage years, over 20 years ago, and I’ve taken many breaks. Some lasted days. Some lasted weeks. Some lasted months. I went from running regularly, to skipping my workouts, to running a marathon, to not running at all, to running once a week, 5k or less. 

At first, I felt guilty, and I blamed myself for being lazy. Then I realised that life changes. Seasons change. Priorities change. 

Now I expect breaks. I know they happen once in a while, and I know that it’s okay. And when they come, I focus on staying active in other ways I enjoy. 

When I return to running – and I know that I will – I return gradually, the same way I would advise any beginner learning how to start running. I never force it.

Consistency does not mean perfection. It means returning.

Running the CORE Way

If you take only one thing from this article, let it be this:

Start smaller than you think you need to.

• Build the habit before the performance.

• Focus on easy effort before speed.

• Support your running with strength and recovery.

• Allow breaks without turning them into endings.

Running is not something you conquer in a month. It’s something you grow into.

And if you approach it the CORE way, not extreme, not all-or-nothing, but structured, adaptable and sustainable, you won’t just start running.

You will keep running. And you will become a runner.

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If you’re building your running habit the sustainable way, join CORE for practical training insights, recovery strategies, and realistic guidance you can actually stick to.

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