If you’re just taking up running for exercise, setting a goal of completing a total of 2 miles within a month is very reasonable for most healthy people. If you run at 3 mph, for example, it’ll only take 40 minutes to reach 2 miles. At that point, you may wish to set a more ambitious goal. However high you set your ultimate goal, establish a gradual plan to start running down the road to improved fitness.
Check your calendar for the next month and figure out which days you can run. If you work full time, consider getting up early a few days each week or have meals prepared in advance so you can run during part of your lunch break.
Decide where to run. Your options include a local school’s track or a running path in a park. Have a back-up plan, such as a gym with treadmills or a running track, in case there’s bad weather on one of your planned running days.
Purchase a pair of running shoes, if you don’t have a pair already. Shoes with solid support may prevent an injury. Wearing running socks may also help you avoid blisters.
Warm up before every workout. Perform five to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise, such as taking a brisk walk before you start running.
Run with good form to avoid wasting energy and to help prevent injuries. Maintain an upright posture, swing your arms loosely from your shoulders and strike the ground with the middle of your foot.
Alternate one minute of running with 90 seconds of walking during a 20-minute workout -- not including the warm-up time -- during your first week. This workout contains eight minutes of running time, or 0.4 miles at 3 mph.
Run for 90 seconds, walk for two minutes and then repeat the pattern for 21 minutes during the second week. The workout increases your running time to nine minutes, which equals 0.45 miles at 3 mph.
Use a four-part pattern in the third week. Run for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, run for three minutes and then walk for three minutes. Repeat the pattern a second time for a total of 18 minutes, including nine minutes of running.
Do 21-minute, 30-second workouts for the remainder of the month. Begin by running for three minutes and then walk for 1 1/2 minutes, run for five minutes, walk for 2 1/2 minutes, run for three minutes, walk for 1 1/2 minutes and finish with five minutes of running. This workout totals 16 minutes of running, or 0.8 miles at 3 mph.
Check your calendar for the next month and figure out which days you can run. If you work full time, consider getting up early a few days each week or have meals prepared in advance so you can run during part of your lunch break.
Decide where to run. Your options include a local school’s track or a running path in a park. Have a back-up plan, such as a gym with treadmills or a running track, in case there’s bad weather on one of your planned running days.
Purchase a pair of running shoes, if you don’t have a pair already. Shoes with solid support may prevent an injury. Wearing running socks may also help you avoid blisters.
Warm up before every workout. Perform five to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise, such as taking a brisk walk before you start running.
Run with good form to avoid wasting energy and to help prevent injuries. Maintain an upright posture, swing your arms loosely from your shoulders and strike the ground with the middle of your foot.
Alternate one minute of running with 90 seconds of walking during a 20-minute workout -- not including the warm-up time -- during your first week. This workout contains eight minutes of running time, or 0.4 miles at 3 mph.
Run for 90 seconds, walk for two minutes and then repeat the pattern for 21 minutes during the second week. The workout increases your running time to nine minutes, which equals 0.45 miles at 3 mph.
Use a four-part pattern in the third week. Run for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, run for three minutes and then walk for three minutes. Repeat the pattern a second time for a total of 18 minutes, including nine minutes of running.
Do 21-minute, 30-second workouts for the remainder of the month. Begin by running for three minutes and then walk for 1 1/2 minutes, run for five minutes, walk for 2 1/2 minutes, run for three minutes, walk for 1 1/2 minutes and finish with five minutes of running. This workout totals 16 minutes of running, or 0.8 miles at 3 mph.