30-Day Running Challenge For Beginners

30-Day Running Challenge For Beginners. Have you ever felt a twinge of FOMO when you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, and you see photos of your friends triumphantly finishing races or showing their post-run selfie smiles? Or, perhaps you used to run, but it’s been years since you’ve felt like you had the time, energy, and motivation to run with consistency.

Whether you’ve never been a runner before—and perhaps you even doubt your ability to be able to run more than a few steps without stopping—or it’s been quite some time since you’ve laced up a pair of running shoes and hit the pavement, the good news is that you can change that starting today.

We’ve put together a 30-day running challenge for beginners just like you. Even if you’ve never run a step, have 100 pounds to lose, or have never done anything athletic in your life, you can run. 

The 30-Day Running Challenge  – Who It is For

Before we get started, let’s cover the basics. This 30-day challenge is designed for people who have never run before. Or maybe you’ve run in the past but let things slip away. Now you are starting from scratch.

If you already have a solid running base, you’ll likely find these workouts too easy. We’d recommend another run challenge, or maybe trying a couch-to-5k training program.

The 30-day running challenge starts you at zero and slowly builds your mileage until you can run 2 1/2 miles. We follow a run/walk program, where you alternate running and walking for a set distance or time. We’ve found this is the best way to ease into running without getting burned out or hurt.

Other days of the program are set aside for cross-training, easy walks, or rest. Alternating these days with running is another way to round out your fitness and ensure you get the rest and recovery you need to continue with the challenge.

30-Day Running Challenge Workouts Explained

Run/Walk Intervals

The key run in the challenge is the run/walk workout.

These runs are done by interspersing running with walking breaks. They’ll usually be short periods – a 60-second run/60-second walk is common. As the challenge progresses, the run portions get longer while the walk breaks get shorter.

Cross-Training

This can be anything you feel comfortable with biking, yoga, boot camp, or elliptical. The goal is to raise your heart rate to build some cardio without stressing the muscles you use running.

Walking is ok, but ideal cross-training here would be a non-weight-bearing activity such as riding a bike.

Easy Walks

Similar to cross-training, these days are recovery from the run/walk workouts. But here, we are looking for active recovery. You’ll use similar muscles as the run/walks, but they won’t be stressed as hard, allowing you to rest while still engaging those muscles.

Rest Days 

Yes, days off are built into the challenge. You need time off for your muscles and aerobic system to strengthen. Take these days off to rest and prepare for the next run.

Why does the 30-Day Running Challenge for beginners use a walk/run approach?

Most exercise physiology literature reports that our cardiovascular fitness progresses faster than our musculoskeletal system adapts to the impact of running. So, even though you might feel like your heart and lungs can handle more running, it’s essential to take the walk breaks over the first few weeks of training to reduce the stress on your bones and joints.

Why does the challenge have cross-training workouts?

Cross-training, which is essentially any non-running exercise, is an important component of training for runners, especially beginners. This enables you to develop your aerobic fitness base and endurance without placing more impact forces on your bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues. 

Why does the challenge have rest days?

Regularly taking rest days reduces the risk of injury by allowing sufficient time for your tissues to recover before loading them with the impacts, strains, forces, and stresses of running again. Taking time off enables you to safely hit the next running workout with renewed energy and strength. 

Preparation

Before you start the challenge, there are a few things you should do to get ready.

1. Clothing and Gear

First, make sure you have some decent shoes and workout clothing. You don’t need high-end running shoes or gear. But you do want a comfortable and supportive pair of shoes. Cheap or poorly-fitting shoes will hurt to run in, they’ll likely cause blisters and may lead to injuries in the long run. (Here’s a link to your list of the best running shoes for beginners)

You also want to have some decent workout clothes. Try to avoid anything cotton (this includes socks!). You want clothes and socks that will wick sweat, keep you dry and comfortable, and will prevent chaffing (ask any runner – the struggle is real).

Since most of these runs are run/walk intervals, you should have a way to time your runs. A watch is best. But your phone is also fine.

2. Find Some Running Routes

The great thing about running is you can do it in most places, often from your front door.

But make sure the roads, parks, and other places where you plan on running are safe. Look for wide roads without too much traffic. Parks and rail trails also make for nice spots to run. A treadmill at home or the gym will work as well.

3. Schedule Your Runs and Workouts

Put every workout and run in your calendar and put it at the top of your priority list! Lack of time is a common excuse for missing workouts.

Fix that by blocking out time during your day to get your run done. It can be first thing in the morning or the evening when you get home from work. Lunchtime. Anytime. Just pencil it in.

4. Keep Track

A running journal is a great way to stay motivated. After every run, write down how far you went and how long it took. At the end of the week, total the miles up. You’ll be amazed at how far you ran!

Doing this is a great way to track your progress. It’s super motivating to watch the miles climb.

Even if you don’t download our PDF, write it down somewhere else. In a notebook, on your phone, or even in a spreadsheet. It doesn’t matter where you do it – only that you do it.

5. Get into the Right Mindset

Be positive and embrace this challenge! It will be hard at times. But persevering through those hard times is what makes this 30-day run challenge so rewarding!

A good non-running running book is Grit by Angela Duckworth. Duckworth has done extensive research that shows that talent has little to do with success. Instead, putting your head down and getting the hard work done is how you succeed.

And for anyone who says they just aren’t a “gritty” person, Duckworth also has a response. This can change! You are not born with or without grit. It’s a skill that you get better at the more you practice.

Stick with it! You can do it!

6. Health Check

This goes without saying, but you shouldn’t have any pre-existing health issues before you start this challenge. If you are unsure, it’s always good to check with your doctor first.

Running Tips to Stay Motivated

While completing the workouts in the 30-day run challenge, here are some tips to help you get through each workout.

Breathing and Pace

When you are in the run portion of the run/walk interval, remember to control your pace. You want to run, but at the same time it’s not a sprint. Run at a steady pace and monitor your heart rate.

The best way to do this is to focus on your breathing. You should be able to maintain a conversation while running. If you are breathing too hard to talk, you are going too fast.

Eating Before and After

If you run in the morning, make sure to eat a light breakfast before you go. This could be some fruit, a breakfast bar, oatmeal, or an English muffin. Just make sure you aren’t running on an empty stomach.

Being new to running, it’s not uncommon to feel lightheaded while running if you have no fuel in your system.

If you run later in the day, make sure you have eaten something light about an hour before your run, for the same reason.

When you’ve finished your run, make sure you drink water to rehydrate. Avoid sugary drinks such as  Gatorade. The calories are basically empty calories. None of these workouts is so hard that you’ll need an energy drink to refuel post-run.

Dynamic Stretching

A good way to warm up before your run or cross-train is to do some dynamic stretching. Unlike the toe touches you did in gym class when you were a kid, dynamic stretching is about the light movement to get the blood flowing and open up your joints.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Leg Swings

Stand next to a wall or other sturdy object. Hold onto the wall with one hand and swing your opposite leg back and forth, front to back. Do this for about 10 seconds, then switch sides. Repeat on both sides once more.

Lateral Leg Swings

Set up the same way as Leg Swings. But instead of swinging them front to back, swing them left to right. Do this for 10 seconds on both sides and repeat once.

Lunge

Begin by standing with both legs next to each other. Take one foot and lunge forward, then bend the forward knee until your thigh is nearly parallel to the ground. Push off with your forward leg and return to your starting position. Repeat, starting with the other foot. Do this for about 30 seconds, alternating legs.

The 30-Day Running Challenge

You Finished – HURRAY!!! What’s next?

First off, take some time to appreciate your accomplishment. This is a big deal! You should be patting yourself on the back for completing it.

I also like to reward myself after completing a major goal. For me, this is usually food- or alcohol-related. But it doesn’t have to be something you eat or drink. Treat yourself to a day at the spa. Get a massage. Buy that new pair of running shoes you were eyeing….

Up next: Couch-to5K

If you feel great and you’re motivated to do more, you are in perfect shape to finish a Couch-to-5k training plan. We’ve got one here that you can pick up right at week 5. Just continue along the training plan for 6 more weeks and when you’re done, you’ll be ready to run your first 5k race!

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