How to Train
Get ready for runner’s high, race-day excitement and a new-found sense of confidence.
FIRST PICK A RACE
The absolute best way to keep yourself running is to find a race, sign up for it, pay for it and put it on your calendar. A fixed race date will help you stay focused, and keep you on a regular running schedule. A beginner can run any race — you just need to allow enough time to train for it. Pick your distance (see below) and use an online race finder like the Runner’s World Race Finder or the Running USA Race Map to help you find the right race for you.
RUNNING FORM
Some people are natural heel-strikers while others tend to lead with their toes. The good news: neither form is inherently better than the other. And you are less likely to become injured if you simply maintain your natural stride. The more you run, the more comfortable that stride will feel and — even better — the more efficient your body will become.
THE RUN-WALK METHOD
The Run-Walk Method is a great way for new runners to get started and for experienced runners to improve their race times. The method was pioneered by one of our favorite coaches — the Olympian Jeff Galloway. Contrary to what you might think, the technique doesn’t mean walking when you’re tired; it means taking brief walk breaks when you’re not. You can pick whatever ratio of walking and running that works for you. Some suggested combinations include:
Taking these breaks makes marathon or half-marathon training less grueling and reduces the risk of injury, Mr. Galloway says, because it gives the muscles regular recovery time during a long run.
Some runners don’t like the walk-break method because they believe a race should be run from start to finish, without stopping. If that’s your goal, go for it!
CHOOSE A TRAINING PLAN
You can find any number of elaborate training plans online, but we believe in keeping it simple. Here is the basic formula for a great training plan.
Train three days a week
Run or run/walk 20 to 30 minutes, two days a week
Take a longer run or run/walk (40 minutes to an hour) on the weekend
Rest or cross-train on your off days
Run at a conversational pace
Consider taking regular walk-breaks
5K
10K
Half- Marathon
Marathon
Most new runners start with a 5K — a 3.1-mile race that is typically less intimidating than a longer race. Your local 5K will attract a fun, relaxed group of new runners and walkers, as well as more experienced runners who like to go fast.
For this plan, you will run for 30 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday, and for longer distances on Sundays. The Sunday runs are listed below. Remember, you can always use the run-walk method instead of running the entire distance. Training Time: 7 weeks
