How to Run

Someone asked me a question on Quora along the lines of “How do people run 1 km without stopping?”. This was from someone who had tried to run and just couldn’t manage it.

I suspected that someone, a runner no doubt, had instructed this person as to how they ought to run. Well, I don’t think there is any ought. Unless there is some sort of bio-mechanical limitation, almost anyone can run. It’s a fundamental human movement.

Anyone who observes children will see that no sooner has a toddler mastered walking (sort of) than they are attempting to run. Falling flat yes, but just getting up only to run some more. Indeed, given an open field, children will be running around not strolling most of the time.

Now getting back to the question at hand, I decided that a simple two-step instruction guide would get almost anyone off and running with the least amount of effort. No oughts, just suggestions.

I also added a third bonus step that I think is necessary to round out any running program: Sprints or interval training or whatever you want to call it. Even many experienced runners don’t incorporate these but the benefits are undeniable.

So here goes, “how to run 1 km without stopping” in two simple steps.

Step 1. Go out and run

Put on a decent pair of shoes and head outside. Run as far as you can without stopping. If it’s only for a couple of minutes or even 30-seconds that’s fine. Then walk for a bit. Then another bit of running. And repeat as many times as you can.

This is called a run/walk. Even if you only manage to run a few feet for a few seconds at a time to start, that’s fine. Run at an easy pace — whatever that is for you — meaning you will be starting to breathe heavier but should still be able to carry on a conversation.

As you do this, you build your aerobic fitness. Running faster and longer is all about your aerobic capacity. And you may be surprised at how fast your body responds to improving your aerobic capacity no matter what your age. Especially if you are starting out at a low level.

The reason you keep your pace very easy is because that’s all you need. As soon as you move from a walk to a run (or a jog or a shuffle, whatever you call a slow easy running pace), you engage significantly more bio-mechanical activity, and that will very effectively move you into an aerobic zone, no matter what your fitness level. That is all you want at this stage; to get your body to become accustomed to and operating in your aerobic zone.

People often think they need to push themselves to improve, but you may end up just pushing yourself right out of the aerobic zone and wearing yourself out. And all that will do is result in becoming discouraged and then giving up running.

Furthermore, if you are panting and gasping for air, you can be sure that your body is under stress and if you are doing so continuously, your building up a lot of stress hormones — cortisol and such — and this will counter the benefits of running.

Spending time in the aerobic zone — in that low level of effort — should be relatively painless but it will be enormously beneficial. And it will improve your cardiovascular capacity.

Step 2. Go out and run the next day.

Then the day after. And the day after that. Continue doing so. If not daily, then several times a week. Continue next week and the week after. Go out longer on days when you feel more energetic. Don’t overdo it on the days that you feel less energetic. Take a day off here and there.

Be nice to yourself. If you take it easy you’ll be amazed at how almost anyone at any fitness level and any age can build aerobic fitness. And if you’re nice to yourself, you will be more likely to keep it up, and maybe even make it a life-long habit.

Over time, two things will happen. 1: the ratio between walking and running will shift to more running and less walking, 2: the length of time and distance that you can be out on a run/walk will increase.

Don’t ever think that you have to run continuously. If it works for you, fine. If you want to walk for a bit, fine. Even if you are in a race, walking for a bit is fine. You will experience the same benefits no matter what. Just go out and do what you most enjoy.

Step it up.

Once you have been running for while — a few weeks or months — consider inserting intervals. That’s where you up-shift your running pace for brief periods.

For example, you’ve been out running at an easy pace for 15 minutes, maybe taking brief walking breaks along the way and you pick out some object ahead of you, a tree or a light standard or fire hydrant and then you start running as fast as you can to get to that object. As soon as you reach your object, maybe 5 seconds or 10 or 20, drop right down to a walk to catch your breath before you go back to your easy run.

Don’t worry about how fast you can go because that will vary enormously for each individual. Just go as fast as you yourself can manage safely and get your breathing and heart rate up.

When you do this, your body adapts to this higher intensity. Do only a few of these, maybe 8 at the most. And only on periodic runs — no more than once or twice a week. It’s all you need. This will up-regulate your aerobic capacity very effectively. It’s like increasing the maximum speed on your speedometer on your car. Most of your running will be at an easy aerobic pace but you will increase your capacity so that you will actually run faster while still being in an easy aerobic zone.

In addition, there are well-documented health benefits to sporadic and intense intervals while keeping all your other activities at a relatively easy pace.

And now the epilogue …

As you persist in your runs/walks and as the weeks pass and you become comfortable and even adept and maybe even enjoy going out and running, at some point it will dawn on you that, lo and behold, I can run 1km without stopping. When did that happen? Then 1 km will become 2 kms and then 3. And you begin to revel in the magical experience of the human body’s amazing capacity to adapt.

Then what happens next is even more astonishing. You overhear a friend or a family member on the phone or in a casual conversation refer to you as “a runner” because … well, they know you run and they have no idea how someone can run 1km without stopping, and you haven’t heard yourself called “a runner” before and you suddenly realize “hey, I’m a runner”, and somehow almost supernaturally you’ve acquired a new identity to pin on yourself. “I am a runner”.

So you decide it would be fun to enroll in a local community 5K race, you know, you’re a runner just like them. And … well I should leave it at that and let you tell the story.

So you see? It’s simple. You can start today. And you don’t need any fancy equipment and you don’t need a gym membership.

• Go run.
• Get fit.
• Have fun.
• Live long.

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