10 Tips All Beginner Runners Need to Know

“Don’t worry so much about doing everything perfect from the beginning. Just enjoy it.”—catiebeal (RW+ member)

“Just get out the door! Often that’s the biggest hurdle. After that, do the best you can.”—drapchoann

“Don’t do too much too fast! Good things take time.”—mrsbigsoap (RW+ member)

“Take it slow at first. It’s easy to get excited and risk injury by going too fast or far.”—meganchels

“At the beginning, don’t run for mileage or time but just for fun!”—dkira48 (RW+ member)

“Ease into it and build gradually. Enjoy the process and know that each run makes you stronger.”—melissatvalente (RW+ member)

“Start slow, listen to your body, and keep showing up.”—justjessingitt

“Don’t try to do too much too soon. Build the miles slowly to prevent injury and don't feel like you need to run every day. Also, just make sure you are having fun.”—nyoung253

[6 ldquo;If you live somewhere]

“Start slow and find a partner. It makes it fun and a lot harder to quit.”—emme_leach

[How New Training Partners Helped This Runner Find Joy]

“Stick with it. Starting is the worst, but there will come a day where running feels like bliss.”—kellyj0sephine

“Don’t give up! Some days are great, some days are okay. Just take it one mile at a time.”—aecelayeta29

“Be kind to yourself and stop apologizing for your pace! We all have a journey. Embrace yours in your own time!! We have all been there and our results are all different. Keep running.”—kellbell8859

“Celebrate each run, just the fact that you ran today is enough and don’t worry about your time. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”—rochelletornabene (RW+ member)

“Look for the positives of each run, even on the days when it hurts! Smile and know you are improving yourself one step at a time!”—hershey_anna

“Don’t judge a run by the first mile.”—the.running.grandpa

[Nutrition - Weight Loss?]

“It’s okay to walk and take a break. Take that break, give yourself a mental reset, then go back after it.”—David.loessberg (RW+ member)

“Find what works for you. Treadmill, trail or road running, early or late day runs. To be flexible; life will happen so be sure and keep moving forward (literally). It's always okay to walk so long as you are moving. Ditch the phone and the watch at least once a week. And keep a journal to track your progress and where you run (new cities, states) as it is fun to fill in on a map where you've been.”—Matthew Parsons (RW+ member)

“Don’t go for distance, focus on duration. It’s okay to walk if you get tired.”—spncrkm9

“Start slow and take it easy. Don’t be afraid to walk if you need to. Take a day off every couple days to let your muscles recover. Stretch after you run when your muscles are warm and looser. And don't follow the ‘Other Hearst Subscriptions’ myth; breathe in and out your mouth, the goal is getting the most oxygen to your muscles as possible.”—johnruns

“Don’t run every day. It’s okay to run a block and walk a block. Take your time and listen to your body. Build mileage and speed slowly to stay injury free.”—ramonbleezy

[How to Start a Walking Routine]

“Do your research to ensure you’re wearing the right sneaker for your foot type and ensure it fits properly, too. Then repeat after me ‘You can.’”—itsmekaitlin

“Watch a YouTube tutorial on proper form and cadence. Will save a lot of injuries and premature fatigue. And get yourself some good running shoes (and socks!)”—lindemanweddings

“Buy lots of gear so you can’t afford to quit.”—kwave15

“Invest in shoes! Don’t worry about anything else!”—ellie_kramer

[Smartwool. No matter where you live, you are already a ‘real runner.’”&mdash]

“Make sure you incorporate cross-training in your routine, it will help to stay injury-free.”—josseluis.lopez (RW+ member)

“Throw some yoga in there!”—julieegg

“Remember that rest days are the days you grow stronger. Make sure you have one day of cross-training. Walking good, but so is yoga, biking, anything that gives your running muscles a break, and make sure you have one day off from physical activity.”—patricedavies

“Cross-train, go slow, and especially work on your glutes to prevent injury!”—lucypressnell

[14 We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back]

“Don’t neglect drills and stretching! Prep and recovery as just as important as running.”—Danielle_buglino (RW+ member)

“Buy a foam roller.”—jeaniekyle

“Don’t forget to warm up your muscles before the run.”—pinpointpro_

“Start slow and work your way up be sure to stretch and cool down! Go at your own pace and listen to your body.”—weisedale

[and cool down! Go at your own pace and listen to your body.”&mdash]

“Don’t focus on your pace. Take it one day at a time and it will get easier.”—meganvancamp

“Have fun and don’t worry about being fast.”—stevenseighman

“Be you. Don’t try and compare what you do in your run to someone else. Stay true to you.”—tomellefson

“Be patient with your progress.”—rocio_fields (RW+ member)

“Go slow. No one is watching you, so don’t worry if you think you’re slow. It’s your run and your run only.”—katiebsmith

[6 Half Marathon Training Plans for Every Runner]

“Give yourself baby goals. Jog to the corner. Only walk for one song then jog another. Keep time. It might be a little defeating at the beginning but then you’ll slowly get faster and you will be so proud.”—teamshenanigan

“From a beginner myself for the last two years: Run for something. Use that run as a totem for something you’re having difficulty dealing with in your life at that time. The start and finish of that run gives you a sense of completion and accomplishment. Which in turn motivates you to know that all problems, big or small can start yes, but also you can finish them.”—milan.h

“Relax. Enjoy. Set small goals. Walk-run-wall. Lamppost-lamppost and a little bit more. Breathe. Listen to favorite music. Take away all your worries. Just run. No rules. Go slow. Go fast. You set your pace. Good running shoes. Have fun. Smile.”—victoriahodcroft

[The Best Running Songs to Add to Your Playlist]

“There is nothing besides running that makes you a runner. Not your pace, not the races you’ve run, not your training plan, not your pace, not your gear, and not how you look when you run. Runners run. That’s all you have to do. Lace up and go!”—Blake Monte

“If you live somewhere cold: Smartwool. No matter where you live, you are already a ‘real runner.’”—jchanning1

“You are a runner if you run, that’s it. No distance, race, or accessory makes you a runner and this is a surprisingly hard lesson for a lot of us to learn.”—thepowerauer

[The Runner’s World Guide to Strength Training]