Have you ever felt a twinge of FOMO when you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, and you see photos of your friends triumphantly finishing races or showing their post-run selfie smiles?
Or, perhaps you used to run, but it’s been years since you’ve felt like you had the time, energy, and motivation to run consistently.
Whether you’re completely new to running or haven’t laced up your shoes in years, the good news is—it’s never too late to get started.
We have created a 30-day workout program to help anyone start running. It is designed to help sedentary or minimally active people get into running and start incorporating exercise into their daily routine in an approachable, gradual, and sensible way.
Daily workouts take 35 minutes or less, and there are rest days along the way.
Step by step, we’ll help you build endurance, gain confidence, and make running a habit—starting today.
The 30-Day Running Challenge for Beginners
The Run/Walk Method
In this 30-day challenge, we use the walk/run method. In my years of coaching, I have found starting with the walk/run method is the most effective and efficient way to get new runners going.
We have carefully designed this plan to take a safe and gradual approach to running while preventing injury.
Because running is a high-impact activity, you need to build up and progress slowly, especially if you have limited running experience.
The walk/run method is a practical approach to building cardiovascular fitness while getting your bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues accustomed to the stresses of running.
Essentially, walking breaks allow you to catch your breath and slow your heart rate, and because walking is a lower-impact activity, your joints and muscles also get a break.1Hottenrott, K., Ludyga, S., Schulze, S., Gronwald, T., & Jäger, F.-S. (2016). Does a run/walk strategy decrease cardiac stress during a marathon in non-elite runners? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(1), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2014.11.010
Jumping into a running program can lead to injury if you increase your volume and intensity too quickly because running places a lot of stress on your bones, joints, muscles, and tendons, so your tissues need time to adapt.
Most exercise physiology literature reports that our cardiovascular fitness progresses faster than our musculoskeletal system adapts to the impact of running.
So, even though you might feel like your heart and lungs can handle more running, it’s essential to take the walk breaks over the first few weeks of training to reduce the stress on your bones and joints.
Additionally, starting and finishing each run by walking allows the body to warm up and cool down, minimizing the risk of injury.
Cross-Training
Cross-training, which is essentially any non-running exercise, is an important component of training for runners, especially beginners.
It enables you to develop your aerobic fitness level and endurance without placing more impact forces on your bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues.
Most cross-training activities also use somewhat different muscles than running, so cross-training can reduce muscle overuse and soreness and prevent the development of muscle imbalances from running only.
Examples of suitable cross-training activities for runners include hiking, cycling/biking (indoor or outdoor), elliptical, swimming, pool running, rowing, cross-country skiing, and dancing.
If you’re sore and tired from your run/walk workouts, choose a cross-training activity that’s particularly gentle on your joints, such as swimming, walking, or yoga.
Rest Days
Rest days are an essential part of your training. Though many new runners get so excited about their training that they want to run every day, rest days give your body time to rebuild, repair, and recover, and the last thing you want is to be injured.2McCall, P. (2018, December 19). 8 Reasons to Take a Rest Day. Www.acefitness.org. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/7176/8-reasons-to-take-a-rest-day/
Regularly taking rest days reduces the risk of injury by allowing sufficient time for your tissues to recover before loading them with the impacts, strains, forces, and stresses of running again. Taking time off enables you to safely hit the next running workout with renewed energy and strength.
The Marathon Handbook 30 Day Running Challenge for Beginners Printout
(right click the image to save and print this Challenge, or scroll to the end of the article for a text version)
8 Tips To Crush This Challenge
This may be your first foray into running or your first time in a long time, so there’s a good chance you have some trepidation heading in.
Fear not: we’ve put together running tips to help you complete the challenge successfully (and hopefully enjoy the process).
#1: Run By Effort, Not By Pace
Don’t worry about how fast you are running during your run intervals. Just keep moving and use effort as your guide. Keep it at a conversational pace.
#2: Set a Schedule
Whether you prefer a morning run, post work, or late evening – choose a time of day for your workouts that works best in your schedule, and then try to be consistent with that routine. Although not a necessity, it’s often easier to make and keep a habit if you’re consistent with when and how you do it.
Perhaps you will find it’s easiest to get your workouts in as soon as you wake up. Or, maybe you have a long lunch break and enjoy breaking up your day with some exercise. Other people like to blast away the stress of a long day at work with an evening workout.
Whatever works best for you, try to carve out the time every day as your sacred workout time to ensure there are no excuses or conflicts that get in the way of your training.
#3: Plan Your Routes Ahead
Some runners really enjoy variety in their running routes to keep things fresh. Other runners prefer a small handful of routes or running on a track or treadmill. Find what makes you comfortable and feels motivating and fun.
Don’t be afraid to try new routes because you may get bored or feel unchallenged if your routine gets too repetitive.
#4: Recruit a Friend
Running mates offer a lot of perks, from added safety to accountability to companionship. Chatting also makes time fly by, and if it’s pouring rain on Monday morning when you wake up at 6 am for your run, you’re less likely to hit snooze again if you have a partner, neighbor, or friend scheduled to pound the pavement with you.
#5: Invest In Some Running Gear
Just because you’ve never considered yourself a runner before doesn’t mean you aren’t one the second you commit to this 30 Day Running Challenge.
Make sure you have good running shoes, moisture-wicking running clothing, and the gear essentials you need to be comfortable while you run.
#6: Push Through the Hard Days
Not every day will feel great.
If you’re finding you’re struggling to make it through a run interval without stopping early, feel free to slow your pace as much as you want. Remember: your speed isn’t necessary here; you are just trying to train your body to keep running.
A slow jog—even a shuffle—is okay, but try to focus on running with good running form without hunching over to ensure you can breathe well. Try to keep moving through the walking beaks instead of stopping completely.
#7: Fuel Like An Athlete
As soon as you take your first step of the walk/run on day 1 of this beginner running challenge, you become a runner. It’s time to treat your body like the athlete you are becoming. Be sure you are fueling with nutritious foods and hydrating enough, especially before and after your workouts.
#8: Believe In Yourself
You, yes you, can do this. Take on our 30-Day Running Challenge for Beginners and allow yourself to become a runner. Good luck with your running streak – you’ve got this.
We also have training plans for your first Couch to 5k that you can check out here!
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 10 x 30-sec run/ 1 min walk (20 min total) |
20 min cross-training | Rest | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 10 x 1 min run/ 1 min walk (25 min total) |
20 min cross-training |
Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min |
Rest |
| Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 10x 90-sec run/ 1 min walk (30 min total) |
20-30 min cross-training | Rest | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 10x 2 min run/ 1 min walk (35 min total) |
30 min cross-training | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 10 x 90-sec run/ 30 sec walk (25 min total) |
Rest |
|
Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min |
30 min cross-training | Rest | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 8x 3 min run/ 1 min walk (37 min total) |
30 min cross-training | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 6 x 4 min run/ 1 min walk (35 min total) |
Rest |
| Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 5x 5 min run/ 1 min walk (35 min total) |
30 min cross-training | Rest | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 2 x 10 min run/ 2 min walk (29 min total) |
30 min cross-training | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 2 x 10 min run/ 30-sec walk (26 min total) |
20 min cross-training |
| Rest | Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min Workout: 20-25 min run nonstop (25-30 min total) |
Thank you! Just what I need. Haven’t run for over 12 months after having a closed loop bowel obstruction (twisted small bowel) I was really wary of the ‘bouncing’ the bowel does when running. But I have decided you live once and I’ve been given a 2nd chance to fulfil my life… running here I come!! From Brisbane Australia, thank you again!!!