Your run-walk plan
Pick where you’re starting from. Three sessions a week, with a rest day between, and repeat any week that felt hard.
Easy-running basics
Do
- Run slow enough to talk
- Short, quick steps
- Soft landing under your body
- Shoes that feel comfortable
Avoid
- Racing every run
- Adding distance and speed in the same week
- Running through sharp pain
Progressing safely
Add time or distance gradually, and keep most runs easy. Niggles that ease as you warm up are common; pain that worsens as you run is a reason to stop.
Key takeaways
- Start with run-walk intervals
- Most runs easy enough to talk
- Progress gradually, repeat weeks freely
General information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medication, check with a professional first. See the medical disclaimer.
Sources
- NHS. Couch to 5K running plan.
- Nielsen RO et al. Training errors and running related injuries: a systematic review. Int J Sports Phys Ther, 2012.
Recording it in Ritual
Use Go outside on the Cardio page to record each run-walk session with GPS. Set a target distance, let auto-lap mark each kilometre, and look at the splits afterwards: a steady session looks steady, and a fading finish shows up straight away.