Running: The Training Plan for Beginners

Last updated Jul 22, 2020 399 0

Something always kept you from running until now? With this training plan for beginners you can do it! And endurance increases in no time.

Running for beginners

So you want to walk. Regularly like “everyone else”. You want to be fitter, younger, do something for yourself, and of course you want to get thinner. But you’ve wanted to do that before. Or, to be honest, all the time.

As a beginner, you should realize that 30 minutes of jogging (without a break) is for people who are already fit. For beginners, a leisurely running training is the first thing to do, where the change between walking and endurance running is in the foreground. In general, a walking break is also on the agenda for advanced runners, and is often even necessary to relax the muscles. For beginners they are generally an important point on the training plan.

If you are a runner and want to cover a 10-kilometre distance in a certain number of minutes, you should rely on a suitable running plan, which will first improve your general endurance and fitness. It does not make sense to use running plans that aim for a half marathon or marathon training. Training plans must be chosen with care – the right preparation and the right running shoes are essential. Running units are always rounded off with a stretching program of five to ten minutes. If you want to lose weight, you should also pay attention to a healthy diet. That way the pounds will drop in no time.

Week 1: Start mentally

Is there anything stopping you from starting training?

No time
If time, then tired
The thought of panting around and the red bulb
Nothing to wear
“As unfit as I am, it doesn’t help anyway”.

List everything that hinders you, and find a positive response to everything:

“I have time, I only need 30 minutes a day for the time being”
Tiredness passes by after three or four minutes in the fresh air
“I won’t pant around, I’ll take it slow”
There’s a nice shop around the corner
“But start, otherwise I’ll become unfitter and unfitter and unfitter and …”.

Stop! You want to! You have one week to prepare yourself mentally. Then you’re ready to go.

Week 2: Prepare well

Formulate your goal and in particular your running goal*. You need a yardstick. A goal could be: I want to learn to walk for 30 minutes straight. Or ten kilometers in an hour. Attention, very important: Maybe you can’t imagine anything yet. But if you don’t start thinking about it, your running career will be over in no time. Because you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re either gonna say, “Oh, it’s not a sport, what I’m doing is not a sport at all.” Or you’ll be diving through the countryside until your lungs whistle and your legs hurt, because running – that’s running after all! And then what? The first try was the last.

Take your running career seriously. Plan your first run as if it was about the American championship. Then the first day won’t knock you out, but is the beginning of a long development, where doing is more important than the big goal in the far future. You need running shoes for that. Only buy the best, only the best! Because they will be your best friends in the near future. They have to laugh at you off the shelf and say, “Let’s go running!” Get some good advice in a good store.

* If you are over 40, have health problems or have not done any sport for a long time, it is better to have a check-up with your doctor first.

Week 3: Enjoy the first runs

New shoes, mentally attuned. Now here’s an idea of what’s technically correct for today’s run. It could be one of these three things:

30 minutes walking tightly. Just be outside and walk around the neighbourhood. In sports clothes. Big alarm guaranteed with all neighbours – nice to trigger a guilty conscience. This is the first success. Important: remember the route and stop the walking time. This is your first day of training. You have fulfilled the target.
First go, then add a jogging attempt. Extremely slowly. Yes, this is where the world championships in slow walking are held, so what? Remember how long you walk and how long the running sections are in between. Measure the total time for your first lap. Your maiden run!
To get into the mood, walk briefly, then start running in the same rhythm. Do not run until you run out of breath, but determine beforehand when a pause for walking will follow. Always feel good, do not feel any effort. In order for your heart, lungs, head, legs, bones and joints to grow in harmony with the runner, you need to take smart breaks from walking! Especially motivating is the worst rain shower ever. Exactly on day X. Get out! Rejoice, because this is one day in your running career you will never forget. Already on the first day a heroine!

Monday: Heavy rain shower, 1st day of training. Keep a good record of everything!

Wednesday: Exactly the same lap as on the 1st day, note running/walking times.

Friday: Find a new route: If possible in nature and run as long as on Monday.

Week 4: Exercise properly

You get out. You lift the first leg, then the second, and now you repeat this for 5 minutes as easily as you can! Yeah, slow motion, slug. No big deal. Then pause. A little stretch. Now the most important thing: Ten short runs, always only about 45-50 seconds, still with the same two legs, but now everything a bit tensed and fast! Wait, not so fast: just a little. But in such a way that you can clearly feel the pressing of the feet and the landing. Hup, hup, hup, hup. After 30 seconds in this rhythm you will surely start breathing: blow, blow. Loud and clear someone is gasping for air. The face may become a little red, but never mind. You’ll be right back at the finish line. Now you go on, exactly for one minute, very relaxed and slow. Now legs up again! After the tenth run there will be a break for a rest, until you can jog again, as slowly as possible, for five minutes. There you go!

The bite by bite faster running will give you a comfortable and cozy feeling. You will feel even more like an athlete. You are in complete control of the level of strain and can correct it from run to run.

Monday: Five minutes walking or running, six to ten times 45-50 seconds faster, one minute walking break each time, five minutes walking or running. You have to find the pace of the fast sections yourself. You should be able to do everything in good shape until the end, and it should be fun. However, even at too high a speed, nothing worse can happen than having to take a break after only 20 seconds. Then start the next run a bit more carefully.
Wednesday: Standard round of week three – don’t forget to time it. Just run at least as well as you did the week before and see if you have enough work or if you want to pick up some speed. Remember not to overdo it, but also not to cry over a missed training session. Afterwards you will have another whole day off, which you should earn.
Friday: Wednesday’s favorite round. Halfway through today, do something serious, get into it. And wonder how much faster you are today than you were ten days ago. Choose a pace that does you good: Today’s run can be a bit more meditative, no performance stress!

Week 5: Run and weigh

So far we have completely neglected the kilo approach. That’s the idea. It was all about the running itself, about learning to love running. Nothing should distract from that. It’s your start, your pace, your lap. I don’t want to say any more than that right now. But if you get a little tired this week, here’s what I think will help you:

The simple idea is to get longer runs and maintain a higher pace so you can burn more and more energy per workout. In the near future, you will be able to burn up to 1,200 kcal in one training session, while running comfortably. With three runs this is a complete additional day of energy conversion per week. In other words: a whole day of fasting without going hungry. One seventh (1/7) of the whole eating week is lost in thin air. Being able to eat one seventh more and not gain weight. That makes sense. That is easy to understand and there is still a lot of air up there. What happens if I do sport five times a week and now, poked, I also do something – just a little – to pay attention to my biggest nutritional sins? What happens in twelve weeks? Now take a deep breath again very quickly and don’t be completely over the moon yet. Step back and “learn to love to walk”!

Let’s start the new week:

Monday: Our speed day. The first five minutes as usual very relaxed, almost like walking, conversations are possible. But pay attention to a good posture: Stand upright, arms well apart, feet parallel. These first minutes should get you in the mood for the following tempo training. A short break with stretching, then our ten minute runs. Again, run so fast that it’s almost sprinting and you can run the whole minute at starting speed until the end. Drawing on the experiences of the last week. New tip: Do the runs there and back, from stroke to stroke – and check that they always stay the same length. If it feels good, the distance that can be run in one minute can be extended. After each run two minutes of easy walking. Finally 5 minutes of very relaxed snail pace to run out.

Wednesday: Endurance run. The goal is to turn the 30 minutes into maybe 35 or 40 minutes. If you still need walking breaks on your 30-minute lap, try to make the running sections a little bit longer than in the previous week. It shouldn’t be exhausting, it should make your day more enjoyable. If you want to get a little more athletic character into the day, you may become so much faster on the second half that your breathing becomes deeper and faster, but is still far from uncontrolled breathing. The right thing to do is to feel an inner rhythm, which nestles together from heartbeat, breath and the step of the foot to a melody and pushes you forward wonderfully.
Friday: Motivation day. No matter what training has been going on so far, today will be extended. Instead of 30 minutes, at least 45 minutes outside. If you manage to do it, extend the running up to one hour. The run or the brisk walk, depending on what level you are at, will clearly show what you have achieved in the time since the start five weeks ago. You are out regularly, have a plan and know your routes. Actually, you are already a small professional.

Week 6: Muscles

So that the three days of training this week go without grumbling, here is a funny, true story of how it happened in this case after ten weeks of training: “I was driving yesterday and had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on my thigh. Suddenly I realize that there is a huge solid hill on my leg. In the evening I panic-strickenly tell my husband, who is a doctor, about it. He looks at it on the treatment couch and starts laughing out loud. What I thought was a tumour is simply muscle, I have a thigh muscle for the first time in my life! I can feel my muscles as a big fat bump.”

Monday: Tempo day – five minutes break in, five minutes stretch, two times five to eight minutes pace run, in between two minutes walking break and five minutes run.
Wednesday: Endurance run day – 30 to 40 minutes at a steady pace – speaking should still be possible. If you want to approach the run more sporty, you can do it up to the already known deep and very rhythmic breathing. Afterwards another ten minutes of stretching.

Friday: Big round with the division: Run and walk for everyone – no matter what the level is. You adapt the pace to your level and your form on the day. The tempo will be different at the beginning than at the end. 40 minutes training time with the change run and walk every two minutes. This exercise is especially good for building up the feeling for your own running pace. What pace do I really enjoy for two minutes? The faster runs will require completely different muscle groups than the slower pace or walking. Nevertheless, the duration of the runs is manageable. Please go on your normal endurance run and don’t think too much about the pace day. Today it should rather be a mixture of endurance running and very easy pace running. I would like you to pay attention to a particularly good running technique during the somewhat faster two minutes and thus feel the muscles in your thighs, calves and bottom.

Week 7: 500 meter runs

We will now change the pace minute runs to 500m runs. So now we have to find an exact 500m distance. Measuring the endurance lap would also be a plus point: This way we know exactly what will be achieved.

Monday: 30-40 minutes continuous running. Start the first 15 minutes very relaxed. Breathing very calm. Then increase the pace slightly. Increase to the point where you have to breathe deeper and a little louder than you would have to at a very relaxed pace. The more you can accelerate for 15 minutes today, the better.
Wednesday: Five minutes of loose running-in, stretching, six times 500m – time you determine yourself – it should be slightly strenuous. But start the first run carefully. You should manage six runs and ideally always have the feeling only on the last meters: That’s it! After each 500m run you may take a breather for up to three minutes to ensure that the new run is of good quality. Get closer to your times. Note them and your pulse at the finish of each pace run. Yes, speed runs!
Friday: 30-40 minutes of steady running without a break. Talking should be possible. If you want to run a little faster, you may!

Week 8: Feel better

Stabilization of week seven. Record all readings. Not necessarily increase, but feel better. Avoid last week’s mistakes. Learn and make progress in the training process.

Monday: 30-40 minutes endurance run, the last 15-20 minutes will be faster.
Wednesday: Five minutes break in, stretch, six times 500 m, three minutes walking break, five minutes run out.
Friday: Run for 30-40 minutes in a row – loose and easy.

Week 9: Double distance

New aspect – 500m become 1km. Be careful: Go a little slower than 500m, it is double the distance. But don’t be afraid, for this it is only three laps.

Monday: Five minutes break in, stretch, three 1km in your time, one break up to three minutes walk, five minutes run out.
Wednesday: Walk loosely for 30-50 minutes in a row – talking should be possible. How far do you actually get now?
Friday: Ten minutes in one go, short stretching break. Eight times two minutes fast running, alternating with two minutes walking break, five minutes running out. Two minutes of fast running and two minutes of walking in between to recover for the new run.

Week 10: Stabilization

Stabilization of the previous week. The guidelines remain the same, but improve the execution.

Monday: Five minutes break-in, stretching, three times 1km – you decide the time! – three minutes break in walking, five minutes run out.
Wednesday: 30 – 50 minutes of easy walking in one go – talking should be possible. How far will you get now?
Friday: Ten minutes of easy walking in one piece. Short stretching break. Eight times two minutes fast running, with two minutes walking break, five minutes running out. Two minutes of fast running, and the two minutes of walking in between will help you recover for the new run.

Week 11 – Brisk average tempo

More 1km runs this week. Loosen them up a little bit more than last week. Always 15-20 seconds quieter than before. But cut the break to two minutes. It’s about getting you up to a faster average pace, reducing the break times until you can soon reach this pace 30 minutes in a row. Then you burn a lot of calories in one training session and your weight changes.

Monday: Five minutes run in, short stretching break, five to six times 1km snappy but tolerable run as described in the weekly introduction, two minutes break and five minutes run out.
Wednesday: Run for 45-55 minutes in a row and be able to talk. Pay attention to the length and pulse. There should already be worlds of change.
Friday: Run in for five minutes, short stretching, run 5km in a row – feel good, note your pulse and time.

Week 12: The first record

The 5km on Friday will be the first crowning glory. Faster than last week and your first record!

Monday: Five minutes run in, short stretching break, five to secsh times 1km snappy but tolerable run, two minutes break, five minutes run out.
Wednesday: Run 45-55 minutes in a row and be able to talk. Pay attention to the length and pulse.
Friday: Run in for five minutes, short stretch, 5km in a row – a new best time! – and look good at the same time!