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How do you start running as a beginner?

6 perspectives · Updated · 3 min read

Nick Norwitz loved running, and ran himself into stress fractures by adding mileage too fast. The researchers here say to start slower than you want to.

Four of them start beginners with walking: walk-run intervals from Céline Gounder and Jason Hawrelak, walking first from Terry Wahls, and 10,000 steps a day before easy jogs from Jeffrey Bland.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, joint problems, or another health concern, check with a doctor before you start.

The short answer

Start with walk-run intervals and keep runs short and slow. Most of these researchers would build the habit before the distance and add time gradually. Nick Norwitz got stress fractures from adding mileage too fast.

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Who you should listen to

Six researchers in medicine, metabolism, nutrition, and the gut microbiome. Jason Hawrelak runs, Nick Norwitz used to, and Terry Wahls rebuilt her own mobility by tracking what her body could handle each day.

  • Céline Gounder · Infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist, and CBS News medical correspondent

    Listen for: A simple run-walk plan with a weekly schedule.

  • Jason Hawrelak · Probiotic and microbiome researcher, educator, and naturopathic clinician

    Listen for: Why walk breaks count as training.

  • Nick Norwitz · Researcher and science communicator on metabolic health

    Listen for: The injury that taught him to go slow.

  • Jeffrey Bland · President of Big Bold Health; former Professor of Biochemistry

    Listen for: Using your pulse to keep runs easy.

  • Terry Wahls · Clinical researcher and physician who developed The Wahls Protocol for multiple sclerosis

    Listen for: Letting your joints set the pace.

  • Deanna Minich · Nutrition scientist and Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health

    Listen for: Choosing movement you enjoy.

How do researchers say beginners should start running?

Céline Gounder

Céline Gounder

Infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist, and CBS News medical correspondent

Clinical Associate Professor at NYU

Why themExplains outbreaks and public health in plain terms.

Céline’s advice: Run-walk for 20 to 30 minutes, three to five days a week, without chasing distance or pace.

I wouldn't tell a brand-new runner to chase distance or pace. Start with something like a run-walk: jog until your breathing gets hard, then walk until it settles, and repeat for 20 or 30 minutes, three to five days a week.

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Jason Hawrelak

Jason Hawrelak

Probiotic and microbiome researcher, educator, and naturopathic clinician

PhD in intestinal dysbiosis

Why themDeep on probiotics, gut health, and the microbiome.

Jason’s advice: Start smaller than you think; walk breaks are part of the training.

I’m a runner, but I deliberately keep it under 10 kilometres because that’s where my gut starts to protest, so I’d tell a beginner to start smaller than they think and build slower than they want. Walk-run intervals are your friend: jog until it feels slightly hard, walk until you recover, repeat, and let the walking be part of the training, not a failure.

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Nick Norwitz

Nick Norwitz

Researcher and science communicator on metabolic health

PhD from Oxford, MD from Harvard

Why themGood on metabolism, brain health, and cholesterol research.

Nick’s advice: Run slow, run short, and build the habit before the distance.

I used to be a runner, and I loved it, but I also ran myself into stress fractures by piling on mileage too fast. If you're starting now, the only thing that matters is consistency without injury: run slow, run short, and build the habit before you build the distance.

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Jeffrey Bland

Jeffrey Bland

President of Big Bold Health; former Professor of Biochemistry

120+ peer-reviewed papers

Why themDecades of research on nutrition, inflammation, and metabolic health.

Jeffrey’s advice: Make running an extension of walking, with easy jogs you can talk through.

What I tell beginners is to make running an extension of walking: hit 10,000 steps most days, then fold in easy 30 to 60 second jogs you can talk through, keeping your pulse near 180 minus your age, and add time slowly.

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Terry Wahls

Terry Wahls

Clinical researcher and physician who developed The Wahls Protocol for multiple sclerosis

Developed The Wahls Protocol

Why themFocused on daily steps for people living with MS.

Terry’s advice: Walk first, then add short run intervals as your joints and energy allow.

I began rebuilding my own mobility by swapping sitting for gentle movement and tracking what my body could handle each day, not by forcing miles. If you are starting to run, walk first, add short run intervals only as your joints and energy allow, and let consistency matter more than speed.

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Deanna Minich

Deanna Minich

Nutrition scientist and Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health

Creator of the Rainbow Diet

Why themPractical on eating for health in an easy, colorful way.

Deanna’s advice: Choose movement you enjoy, and favor small, consistent steps over distance or speed.

I would start by choosing movement you actually enjoy, because the research I have seen is clear: the body needs to move throughout the day, not just in one intense burst. Running can be a beautiful rhythm, but for a beginner I would lean into small, consistent steps rather than distance or speed.

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Everyone’s advice at a glance

How 6 people answer: How do you start running as a beginner?
WhoTheir advice
Céline GounderInfectious disease specialist, epidemiologist, and CBS News medical correspondentRun-walk for 20 to 30 minutes, three to five days a week, without chasing distance or pace.
Jason HawrelakProbiotic and microbiome researcher, educator, and naturopathic clinicianStart smaller than you think; walk breaks are part of the training.
Nick NorwitzResearcher and science communicator on metabolic healthRun slow, run short, and build the habit before the distance.
Jeffrey BlandPresident of Big Bold Health; former Professor of BiochemistryMake running an extension of walking, with easy jogs you can talk through.
Terry WahlsClinical researcher and physician who developed The Wahls Protocol for multiple sclerosisWalk first, then add short run intervals as your joints and energy allow.
Deanna MinichNutrition scientist and Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural HealthChoose movement you enjoy, and favor small, consistent steps over distance or speed.

How to start running, step by step

  1. Walk first. Jeffrey Bland suggests hitting 10,000 steps most days before adding jogs. Terry Wahls also starts with walking.

  2. Use walk-run intervals. Céline Gounder says to jog until your breathing gets hard, then walk until it settles. Jason Hawrelak treats the walking as part of the training.

  3. Keep it easy. Bland keeps jogs at a pace you can talk through, with your pulse near 180 minus your age. Nick Norwitz says run slow and run short.

  4. Go three to five days a week. Gounder suggests 20 to 30 minutes of run-walk, three to five days a week.

  5. Add time slowly. Norwitz got stress fractures from piling on mileage too fast. Hawrelak says start smaller than you think and build slower than you want.

  6. Make consistency the goal. Wahls, Norwitz, and Deanna Minich all put consistency ahead of speed or distance.

Where they disagree

They agree on starting slowly and differ on how to judge easy. Céline Gounder and Jason Hawrelak go by breathing and effort. Jeffrey Bland uses a heart rate near 180 minus your age. Terry Wahls goes by what your joints and energy allow. Deanna Minich is less focused on running itself, and suggests choosing whatever movement you enjoy.

Frequently asked questions

How often should a beginner run?

Céline Gounder suggests 20 to 30 minutes of run-walk, three to five days a week.

Is it okay to walk during a run?

Yes. Céline Gounder, Jason Hawrelak, Terry Wahls, and Jeffrey Bland all build walking into a beginner's plan. Hawrelak counts the walking as training.

How fast should a beginner run?

Slowly. Jeffrey Bland says jogs should be easy enough to talk through, and Nick Norwitz says run slow and short. Céline Gounder says not to chase pace at all.

How do I avoid injury when I start running?

Build up slowly. Nick Norwitz got stress fractures from piling on mileage too fast, and Terry Wahls says to add run intervals only as your joints and energy allow.

The bottom line

Start with walk-run intervals a few days a week and add time slowly. Then ask the researcher whose approach fits your body.

How this page was made

We asked this question to researchers on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own writing, talks, and interviews, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .

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