Your 8-Week Beginner Training Plan For New Runners

2024 is going to be the year you become a runner. It all starts with these first few weeks. But what’s the best training plan for a new runner who’s starting from scratch?

What can you achieve in 8 weeks?

As a new runner, you’re probably wondering how quickly you’ll start to see improvements in your fitness. Obviously this depends on how often you run, how consistent you are, and what your start point is. But, assuming you’re free of injury and able to jog/run without any issues, you can expect to be running for 30 minutes non-stop after 8 weeks.

But that’s not all. Throughout the 8 weeks, you’ll improve your heart health and lung capacity, build base fitness, and get stronger in your legs, hips, and core. Those running sessions will do amazing things for your long-term health and will reduce your risk of health issues like heart disease, stroke, obesity and even some cancers.

And you’ll feel better, too. Going out for a run a few times a week is a great way to manage stress and do something positive for yourself.

How to assess your starting point

Do you currently do any other exercise, classes, or sport training? If so, you’ll have a decent idea of your base fitness levels. If you’re starting from scratch, use the first few runs to assess your fitness levels. What does this actually mean? Notice how quickly your heart rate and breathing increase and how quickly they return to normal. Pay attention to how you recover between runs, too, in terms of tiredness and any sore muscles.

What to focus on as a new runner

Keep it slow and simple. Commit to a small number of weekly sessions rather than trying to do too many. You can always add more! The key skill to develop as a runner is consistency. It’s far better to run twice a week every week than to do 5 runs one week the none for a month.

Do these key running sessions every week

As a beginner, you need to focus on building up cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. So there’s no need to add fancy sessions like sprints. But it’s also not a good idea to do the same routes at the same pace every time.

Once you feel yourself getting a bit fitter, add in some more challenging sessions, like intervals and hills. You’ll see how in our 8-week plan below.

Your 8-week beginner training plan

You’ll notice we haven’t told you exactly which days to use as your running days. Do whatever works best for you, but try to leave at least one day between running sessions. On these days, try going for a walk and doing some stretches for your legs, hips, and lower back.

Week 1
1 Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes (repeat 10 times)
2 Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes (repeat 10 times)
3 Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes (repeat 10 times)

Week 2
1 Run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 10 times)
2 Run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 10 times)
3 Run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 7 times)

Week 3
1 Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 6 times)
2 Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 6 times)
3 Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 5 times)

Week 4
1 Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 5 times)
2 Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 5 times)
3 Run 6 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 4 times)

Week 5
1 Run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 10 times)
2 Run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 3 times)
3 Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 3 times)

Week 6
1 Run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 6 minutes
2 Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 5 times)
3 Run 11 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 4 minutes

Week 7
1 Run 12 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 12 minutes
2 Run 5 minutes, run 30 seconds slightly faster, walk 1 minute (repeat 5 times)
3 Run 12 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 12 minutes

Week 8
1 Run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes
2 Run 4 minutes, run 1 minute slightly faster (repeat 5 times)
3 Run 30 minutes

Windsor Women’s 10k Saturday 28th September 2024 To enter today click here 

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