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. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways you can apply starting today. The full video has lots more detail if you want to dive deeper.
Key Points:
- Start with short, easy runs—20 minutes works well—done early in the day to establish 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 layer in 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, stretching the 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. Make this something you enjoy, stick with it, and your first marathon will follow. 🎉