Running: getting started, finding your pace and progressing

Running can serve different goals

Running can help establish a regular activity, prepare for a distance or manage the running sections of a WOD. These goals call for different organisation. Beginners first need a practice they can repeat; regular runners may then work on a particular pace or running after another exercise.

This guide covers getting started, choosing an appropriate effort and combining running with functional training. It complements the cardio and endurance guide, which compares different activities.

Start by alternating walking and running

You do not need to run continuously from your first session. Walk-run intervals break up the effort and let you restart with greater control. The NHS beginner programme uses this approach, includes rest days between runs and allows you to take longer than its initial schedule.

Choose a simple, fairly flat route that is easy to shorten. Begin by walking, then run at a deliberately restrained pace. Return to walking before fatigue forces a prolonged stop. Repeat only while the movement and effort remain controlled.

For your next session, note how much time you actually ran, how the final intervals felt and how you felt afterwards. Total distance does not tell the whole story.

Find your pace without chasing a number

Another runner’s speed is not your starting point. Terrain, heat, fatigue and experience change the effort required at the same speed. A useful pace suits the planned session and lets you finish it coherently.

On a deliberately easy run, observe whether you can still speak comfortably. Slow down or walk if the effort rises too quickly. You can record your pace afterwards; it does not need to control every early outing.

Steady runs and intervals

A continuous run aims to sustain effort over time. Intervals organise periods of work and recovery. Before choosing fast repetitions, decide whether your aim is regular running, a particular pace or practising restarts.

Which technique cues should you observe?

Start with simple cues: look along your route, let your arms accompany the movement and avoid unnecessary shoulder tension. Seek a repeatable stride rather than a rigid posture or an imitation of a sprinting athlete.

An article cannot prescribe one cadence or foot strike for everyone. Changes to your stride should come from observing your running, goals and response. A short video and an informed outside view are more useful than a long list of simultaneous corrections.

Build duration, then refine the work

After several comparable runs, choose one change. You might slightly extend some running intervals, shorten a walking break or add an interval. You do not need to do all three at once.

A difficult week does not require making up missed kilometres. Repeating a previously manageable session is a reasonable next step. If pain persists or changes how you run, stop the relevant activity and have it assessed rather than looking for a universal online correction.

Combine running and CrossFit

A run and a WOD can place demands on the same legs. Before adding a fast outing, consider squats, lunges, jumps and other work already in your week. Choose a priority if maintaining both becomes difficult.

During a WOD with running sections, observe what happens on your return: can you begin the next exercise promptly? A restrained start may make the whole workout more consistent, even if the first run is slower.

Running in Hyrox

Running returns between stations, so your plan needs to account for the previous effort, the transition and the station ahead. Check the applicable event and category rules for exact requirements.

Learning to resume at a controlled pace differs from testing a distance while fresh. Introduce this situation gradually once running and the relevant movements are familiar.

Equipment and tracking: keep it simple initially

Choose comfortable running shoes and clothing suited to the weather. A familiar, visible route, a way to time your effort and a few notes are enough to begin. A watch can help compare outings without requiring constant pace monitoring.

Record running minutes, breaks and context: alone or after a WOD, flat or hilly. Compare similar conditions. A slower run after a demanding session has a different meaning from a repeated decline on your reference outing.

Frequently asked questions

Is walking during a run a failure?

No. Walking can be part of the plan from the outset, helping distribute effort and maintain controlled running intervals.

Do I need to run fast to progress?

Speed depends on the session’s purpose. Establish regular practice and suitable duration first. Choose harder sessions according to your goal and recovery.

Can rowing replace every run?

Rowing provides cardiovascular work but does not reproduce running’s ground contacts and coordination. A running goal still requires progressive exposure to running itself.