Take The First Step

Get Started

Establish a routine: Slowly acclimate yourself to running three times per week with a day off in between. If you’ve never run a step, see our beginners running section for all you need to know.

Get Dressed  

Motivation sagging? Make a deal with yourself that you’ll run for 10 minutes. If you can’t commit to that, just put on your running clothes. It’s harder to talk yourself out of running once you’re dressed.

Get Back Into It

If you’re returning to running after a long break, don’t expect to run your usual pace or distance right away. Focus on building back up gradually; increase your mileage by 10 percent each week.

Get Better

Ready to race, run longer, or get faster? Instead of deciding on the fly how far and fast you’ll run, determine the purpose of your workouts before you start them. (For more, see ‘Run With Purpose‘.)