First Steps: Habit Builder
Workout - First Steps: Habit Builder
- 5min @ 9'00''/km
- 10 lots of:
- 1min @ 7'30''/km
- 1min rest
- 5min @ 10'00''/km
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Lee Grantham’s “How to Go from Beginner to Marathon Runner: Top 5 Tips for New Runners!” is worth watching. The key takeaways are below so you can apply them today. The full video has more detail if you want it.
Key points
- Start with short, easy runs (20 minutes works well) done early in the day to build a consistent habit.
- Run 4 times a week with a day off between, opening with 1-minute running and 60-second walk breaks.
- Add no more than 10% extra volume each week, and lengthen your running intervals. 75 seconds of running followed by 45 of walking is a good target.
- Strength training 2-3 times weekly, targeting your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core, will keep your form solid.
- Build your aerobic foundation through conversational-pace running, then add speed sessions (try 10 fast 30-second efforts with a minute to recover between) and one longer run each week.
Workout example
- Morning habit (20 min total): prepare your gear the evening before, then the next morning run for 10 cycles of 1 minute easy followed by 60 seconds walking (split about evenly between running and walking time).
- Progression: once you’re comfortable, bump up to 75 seconds of running and 45 of walking, staying at around 20 minutes total.
- Speed session (once per week): push the pace for 30 seconds, then recover with an easy jog or walk for a minute. Repeat 10 times.
- Long run (Sunday): begin with 5-minute running blocks separated by 1-minute walks, then work toward 10-minute blocks, adding overall distance as your fitness grows.
Closing note
Give the 20-minute morning session a shot and let it scale with you. Use the Pacing app to dial in intervals that suit where you’re at. Stick with it and your first marathon will follow.