If I Started Running Today, This Is What I’d Do & Buy!, by Ben Parkes on YouTube. 13 min 16 s.
- Video length
- 13 min 16 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour to plan and shop, then
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Go to a specialist running shop and get fitted for shoes. Staff will watch you walk or run and check your gait, then suggest a neutral or support shoe that suits you.
Leave cotton at home. Pick a technical t-shirt and shorts or tights that wick sweat, plus snug running socks that reduce rubbing and blisters.
Start with run-walk intervals. Jog one minute, walk one minute, and repeat ten times. Do this three times a week and add a little more running each week.
Keep most runs easy enough to hold a conversation. Add only one harder effort a week, and raise your weekly distance by roughly 10 percent.
Choose a target to aim at, such as a free timed parkrun 5k or a race a few months away, and put the date in your calendar.
Log every run in an app or a notebook. Record distance, time and how you felt so you can see progress when motivation dips.
Add the nice-to-haves later: a running watch, a light showerproof jacket, a headlamp for dark evenings and a small belt or vest for your phone.
Expect the first few weeks to feel hard and your pace to be slow. Turn up on your planned days and let fitness build rather than chasing speed.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear light or reflective clothing and a headlamp if you run in the dark so drivers see you.
Don't buy everything at once. Start with shoes and one set of kit, then add gear as your habit sticks.
Build rest days into your week so your legs recover and small niggles don't turn into injuries.
Slow down more than feels natural on easy runs. Most beginners run their easy days too fast.
Questions
How often should a complete beginner run?
Three runs a week is plenty at the start, with rest or walk days in between. Consistency over months matters far more than the number of sessions in week one.
Do I need expensive running shoes?
You need shoes that fit and suit your gait, not the priciest pair in the shop. A proper fitting at a running store matters more than the brand or price.
Can I run every day as a beginner?
It's better not to. Your muscles and joints need recovery, so leave at least one rest day between runs and build up gradually.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
