1. Week 1: Walk for 10 minutes.

Jog slowly for 1 minute, and then walk for 1

minute. Repeat these 1/1 intervals for 10 minutes, or until you become uncomfortable.
Walk for 5 minutes to cool down.
2. Week 2: Walk for 10 minutes. Jog slowly for 2 minutes, and then walk for 2
minutes. Repeat these 2/2 intervals for 10 minutes, or until you become
uncomfortable. Walk for 5 minutes to cool down.
3. Week 3: Walk for 10 minutes. Jog slowly for 3 minutes, and then walk for 2
minutes. Repeat these 3/2 intervals for 15 minutes, or until you become
uncomfortable. Walk for 5 minutes to cool down.
4. Week 4: Walk for 10 minutes. Jog slowly for 5 minutes, and then walk for 2
minutes. Repeat these 5/2 intervals for 20 minutes, or until you become
uncomfortable. Walk for 5 minutes to cool down.
You get the picture. The idea is to gradually increase your running time until you can
do 10 minutes straight. Then increase the 10 minutes to 12, and so on, each week,
until you can eventually run for 30 minutes. Now you’re a runner!

Once you do your first 5K, you’ll be hooked. That’s a warning.

Equipment
So what do you need to run? Well, running shorts, shirt and shoes, basically. Women
will need a sports bra (get a good one, trust me). Should you go out and buy the best
running clothes and shoes possible, even before your first run? No, it’s not really
necessary. You can get started running with any pair of comfortable sneakers and any
shorts and T-shirt.
But once you really get into it, you’ll want to buy some real running clothes —
breathable fibers, with some comfortable underwear built in (not cotton!) so you don’t
chafe. A running shirt is also good. If you live in cold weather, you’ll need some
breathable clothes to put over your shorts and shirt. I live in the tropics, so I can’t
advise you here.

Most important: good running shoes. This is the most important running

equipment, because it can not only make running more comfortable, but also prevent
injury. My advice is to go to an actual running store, where there will be
knowledgeable people who can watch you run and tell you what kind of shoe you
need (overpronator, supinator, neutral, etc.). If they don’t watch you run, they don’t
 know what they’re doing. Get out and find a better store. Or do your own research
online and learn all about it.
Other things that you might consider, but that aren’t completely necessary:

 Reflectors and flashing lights if you run when it’s still dark.

 Body glide, or Vaseline, applied in the crotch, underarms, and anywhere you
might chafe — really only important for longer runs.
 Heart Rate Monitor: Best ones are by Polar. You can get fancy ones, with
GPS built in, or just a simple one that tells you your heart rate. This is useful if you
do HR training, which is a way of optimizing your training. Probably not necessary
for beginners.
 Mp3 player: Also not necessary, but pretty cool and can add some inspiration
to your running. However, if you run on the road, headphones can be dangerous, as
you might not hear traffic coming your way.
 Fuel belt or Camelback: A way to keep yourself hydrated while you run. Not
necessary for short runs. Also, for longer runs (60 mins or more), I just place water
bottles along my route.
Mechanics
I can’t advise you here, as I’m not a trainer. But most of the time, you don’t have to
worry about this. Just try not to fall down. One thing to watch out for is how tense
your upper body is — try to relax your shoulders, relax your hands, relax everything
but the muscles needed to propel your body forward. The reason is that you may be
using extra energy (and tire yourself out faster) if you’re running with your fists
clenched, for example.
Later, after you get past the beginning stage, you can worry about stride length or
turnover rate. But for now, just worry about getting out there.

Pain
I also can’t advise you on injuries. Unless you have sharp pains, or pain in the joints,
you should be able to run through minor aches. But if you have anything sharp, or
your joints feel injured, stop running. You could make it worse.
The runner’s best friend is ice, and rest. In fact, it’s good to ice your muscles and
joints down after every run, if you can. It helps with the healing process. Aspirin or
Ibuprofen are also good tools, also to help stop inflammation.
Going beyond beginner
Once you’ve gotten a few 5Ks under your belt, and have been running for a few
 months, you’ll want to start a real training plan and progress to the next level.
Training plans are available online for free (see some of the sites below).
Good articles and sites
 Runner’s World
 Cool Running
 About.com Running
 Beginning Runner