How to Start Running When You Are Completely Out of Shape
Three years ago, I could not run for 5 minutes without stopping. I was 2 stone overweight, my fitness was non-existent, and the idea of calling myself a runner felt absurd. Today I run marathons. The gap between those two versions of me was not talent or motivation — it was just showing up consistently and starting smaller than my ego wanted.
If you are reading this and feeling like running is not for people like you, I promise it is. Here is how to start, even if you are starting from zero.
Week 1 to 4: Walk Before You Run
Do not start by running. Start by walking. Three times a week, walk briskly for 20 to 30 minutes. This builds the habit of putting on shoes and getting out the door, which is honestly the hardest part. It also begins conditioning your joints, tendons, and cardiovascular system for the impact of running.
After two weeks of consistent walking, introduce 30-second jogging intervals. Walk for 4 minutes, jog for 30 seconds, repeat for 20 minutes. It will feel awkward and possibly embarrassing. Do it anyway. Nobody is watching, and even if they are, they do not care.
Week 5 to 8: The Run-Walk Method
Gradually increase the running intervals and decrease the walking. A sensible progression looks like this:
- Week 5: Run 1 minute, walk 3 minutes, repeat 6 times
- Week 6: Run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat 5 times
- Week 7: Run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat 4 times
- Week 8: Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeat 4 times
There is no shame in walk breaks. Elite ultra runners use them strategically. Jeff Galloway built an entire coaching methodology around run-walk intervals. The goal is to finish each session feeling like you could have done a bit more, not collapsed in a heap.
Week 9 to 12: Building Continuous Running
By now, you should be able to run for 10 to 15 minutes continuously. Keep three runs per week and gradually extend one of them. Do not increase total weekly running time by more than 10% per week. The other two runs should stay shorter and easy.
Around week 10 to 12, most people can run 20 to 25 minutes without stopping. That is roughly a parkrun distance at beginner pace. If you have got to this point, you are a runner. Full stop.
The Kit You Actually Need
Running shoes: The only essential purchase. Go to a specialist running shop, get a gait analysis (usually free), and buy shoes that fit your feet and running style. Budget £80 to £120. Everything else can wait.
Everything else: Old gym clothes are fine. Cotton t-shirts are fine for now. Fancy moisture-wicking kit is nice but completely unnecessary until you are running regularly and want to invest further. Do not let a lack of gear become an excuse not to start.
Common Early Mistakes
- Running too fast: Beginners almost always run faster than they should. Slow down. Your easy pace should feel embarrassingly slow. If you are gasping for breath, you are going too hard.
- Doing too much: Three runs per week is enough to build fitness. More than that as a beginner increases injury risk without proportional benefit.
- Comparing yourself to others: Ignore Strava. Ignore the fast runner who breezes past you in the park. Your only comparison should be to yourself last week.
- Quitting after a bad run: Every runner has bad days. A bad run is still better than no run. Show up again tomorrow.
What Happens Next
Once you can run for 25 to 30 minutes continuously, a whole world opens up. Register for a parkrun. Sign up for a local 5K. Join a beginners’ group at your nearest running club. Set a goal that excites you slightly more than it scares you.
The hardest part of becoming a runner is not the running itself. It is deciding to start and then showing up on the days you do not feel like it. Everything after that is just putting one foot in front of the other.
