Welcome back! Let's talk about walking and running
In the last level we checked whether running is right for you, and whether you should have a word with your GP first. Now you're ready for the big question: how do you actually start?
Here's some good news. You don't have to run non-stop on day one. You don't even have to run for very long. We're going to mix short bits of running with walking. This is called the walk-run method, and it's one of the gentlest ways to become a runner.
What is the walk-run method?
It's simple. You run for a short stretch, then you walk for a while to recover, then you run again. You keep repeating that for the whole session.
Over the weeks, the running parts get longer and the walking parts get shorter. One day you look up and find you're running the whole way.
Think of it like learning to swim in the shallow end. You swim a few strokes, put your feet down, catch your breath, then push off again. Nobody expects you to swim a full length on your first visit.
Why does it work so well?
So why not just run until you're tired? Let's talk it through.
First, running puts more strain on your body than walking. Every running stride lands harder than a walking step, and your legs take that impact again and again. When you swap in a walking break, you give your joints, muscles and tendons a lighter load for a while. Fewer hard landings in a row means less wear while you're still new to this.
Second, different parts of you get fitter at different speeds. Your heart and lungs often improve quite quickly. Your bones, tendons and the tissue around your joints take longer to toughen up. That's the trap many beginners fall into: their breathing says "I can do more!" while their shins and knees aren't ready yet. Walk-run lets your whole body catch up together.
Third, the walking breaks let your breathing settle. Each run is short enough that you can finish it. Each walk brings your breathing back down before the next one. So you finish the session tired but pleased, not wrecked and put off.
And that last part matters a lot. Finishing a session feeling good makes you want to come back. Starting off too hard and hating it is one of the main reasons people give up.
Meet the NHS Couch to 5K app
You might be wondering whether there's a ready-made plan for this. There is! The NHS Couch to 5K app is free, and it's built around the same walk-run idea.
It takes you from no running at all to running 5K, or about 30 minutes, over nine weeks. You run three times a week, with rest days in between. While you run, a coach talks you through each session in your ear, and there are several coaches to choose from. The NHS also says you can take longer than nine weeks if you need to, and that's absolutely fine.
This course's plan, or the app, or both?
So which should you follow? Here's the honest answer: either works, and they fit together nicely.
This course builds its own nine-week walk-run plan, one level at a time. Alongside the sessions you'll learn the "why": kit, warming up, technique, aches and pains, and much more.
You've got three easy options:
- This course on its own. Follow the weekly sessions at the end of each level, using any stopwatch or timer.
- The app on its own. Fine if you love having a voice telling you when to run and when to walk.
- Both together. Use the app as your timer and coach on the day, and use this course to understand what you're doing and to stay safe.
What matters most is choosing one plan and sticking with it. Hopping between different plans can make you jump ahead too quickly.
Your week one sessions
OK, let's get you moving! Week one follows the same pattern as the NHS plan.
Do three sessions this week, with a rest day between each one. For example, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
In each session:
- Start with a brisk five-minute walk. We'll look at warming up properly in level 4.
- Then run for 60 seconds, followed by 90 seconds of walking.
- Keep repeating that run-walk pair for 20 minutes in total.
How fast should you run? Slowly! Go at a pace that feels right for you. If you're gasping, slow down. A gentle jog barely faster than a walk counts as running.
How to check your progress
After each session, ask yourself two questions. Did I finish all the intervals? And by the end of each walk, had my breathing settled enough to start the next run?
If you can say yes to both after all three sessions, you're ready for week two. If not, no problem at all. Just repeat week one. Repeating a week isn't failing. It's the plan working exactly as it should.
Key takeaways
- The walk-run method mixes short runs with walking recoveries, and the runs get longer week by week.
- Walking breaks lower the strain on your body and let slower-adapting parts like tendons and bones catch up with your heart and lungs.
- The NHS Couch to 5K app is free and takes you to 5K, or about 30 minutes of running, in nine weeks or longer if you need it.
- Week one: three sessions with rest days in between, alternating 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
- Pick one plan, go slowly, and repeat a week whenever you need to.