10 questions every new runner asks
When I started running 16 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. Over time (and through 24 marathons, countless training cycles, and a lot of mistakes), I had to figure it all out the hard way.
Now, as a running coach, I see new runners asking the same questions I once had. So if you're just getting started (or thinking about starting), this post is for you. I’ve answered 10 of the most common questions I hear from beginner runners to help you avoid feeling overwhelmed, run smarter from the start, and enjoy the journey.
1. How do I start running as a complete beginner?
The first step is to decide to start running. The second step is to get out of the door. The third step is to develop a habit of running regularly. That’s it. No need to overthink it. You just need a pair of running shoes and some place where it’s safe to run. The key is to enjoy the process, not focusing too much on the outcome. Setting goals to keep yourself motivated helps with long-term consistency but if you truly fall in love with the process and stay consistent, results will follow. We wrote a longer article about how to start running, which offers more tips for new runners.
2. Why do I get out of breath so quickly when I run?
Most beginners run too fast. Even when they think they're going slow, their heart rate is often too high, and the effort isn’t truly easy. The problem is that this “not quite easy, not quite hard” pace - often called the "gray zone" - doesn’t effectively build aerobic endurance or speed. It’s ok to run some of your runs with moderate effort but if you do too much of it, you’re just accumulating more fatigue. Many beginners feel out of breath, struggle to recover, and lose motivation simply because they’re always training too hard. Learning to slow down is the key to enjoying running and making steady progress. If you keep the majority of your runs truly easy, then over time running will start to feel less hard.
3. How do I understand what is “easy” running?
Even experienced runners often make the mistake of going too fast on the days where their plan is to run “easy”. The truth is that learning to listen to your body takes time. I recommend that beginners monitor how they feel while running either by effort or heart rate and be honest with themselves about what truly feels easy. “Easy” could be described as a run that feels like a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, allows you to move without gasping for breath, and lets you talk while running. Start slowly, and forget about any social pressure to prove that you can run faster. “Easy” is about effort, not pace.
4. What’s a good pace for beginner runners?
In the beginning, pace doesn’t matter. It’s not even about the distance, it’s more about duration. Don’t compare yourself to others, and don't chase speed when you’re not ready for more intense training. On a hilly road or hot day, the pace is going to be slower for an easy run, and that’s OK. If "easy" means you can't yet run continuously, it's perfectly fine to start with walking or walk-run intervals. Try running for one minute, walking for two, and repeating that for 20–30 minutes. Over time, you’ll find you can run longer and walk less. The goal is to finish feeling like you could do more and over time gradually add volume. It’s far more important to build the habit first, develop consistency, and stay injury-free.
5. Why is heart rate relevant for learning how to train properly?
Heart rate is a useful, relatively objective, and widely accessible metric that helps confirm how easy or hard a run really is. It reflects how hard your body is working, regardless of your pace. The lower the heart rate, the easier the run and the lower the load on your heart. Training with a lower heart rate builds your aerobic engine, which is the foundation for all distance running. It also teaches patience and discipline, two qualities every good runner needs. Monitoring your heart rate can help you better understand your perceived effort and build your training accordingly. However, it's important to understand that heart rate is highly individual and use a chest- or armband HR monitor for accurate heart rate reading (watch heart rate is not correct for running, regardless of the brand).
6. How do I know what my zone 2 heart rate is?
There are several ways to calculate heart rate zones but generally, I’d advise against using any sort of calculation based on your age. If you’ve done a lab test or a race already, the simplest way of calculating your zones is the 5-zone model based on maximum heart rate. For most easy runs, you want to stay in zone 2, which is around 60–70% of your max HR. So, if your max is 195 beats per minute (bpm), your easy range is roughly 117–136 bpm. These estimates aren’t perfect, but they’re a good start. Most sports watches track your max heart rate and predict your zones. You can also use perceived effort (see question #3) - if you can talk comfortably in full sentences while running, you’re likely in the right zone. If you're gasping or struggling to speak, you're going too hard.
7. How long does it take to build running endurance?
The most important rule for building endurance is to progress gradually, following key training principles. Don’t increase your distance, speed, and frequency all at once. Start with 2-3 runs per week, keep the pace easy, and focus on time on your feet, not distance. After a few weeks of consistent running, you can slowly increase volume or add a fourth run. Always listen to your body: if you’re feeling tired, sore, or dreading runs, you might be doing too much. It’s better to be a bit undertrained than overtrained, especially in the beginning.
8. When should I start adding faster workouts?
Only after you've built a solid base of consistent, easy running for a few months. Both beginner and experienced runners should do the majority of their training at a low heart rate and easy pace. This forms the foundation that allows the body to adapt to increasing training loads, improves aerobic capacity, and strengthens muscles to withstand the strain of running. Higher-intensity, higher-heart-rate runs should make up only a small portion of training - and only once the runner has trained consistently for a while and is physically ready. One sign you're ready for faster workouts is if you can run for 45–60 minutes without stopping and feel fine the next day. Then you can experiment with short strides (e.g. 6 to 8 times 50-75 metres), fartleks (speed play), or intervals once a week, always starting conservatively. Speed work is like seasoning: too much too soon ruins the meal.
9. How can I prevent running injuries?
The most common issues affect knees, Achilles tendons, shins, and hips. These are usually caused by doing too much too soon, wrong shoes, lack of strength, or running with poor form. The best prevention is slow progression and strength training - especially exercises that improve single-leg balance, hip stability, and ankle strength. Lifting heavier weights with low reps (3–6 reps) helps protect tendons and bones. Don't ignore mobility work either: even five minutes a day can make a big difference. Running form also plays a role, but (apart from some obvious mistakes such as overstriding), rather than trying to “fix” your form on your own, it’s best to build strength, run consistently, and let your form evolve naturally.
10. How do I stay motivated to run consistently?
For most people, it takes a few weeks (sometimes longer) to stop feeling like a struggle. But the turning point comes when you stop chasing speed and start embracing the process of running. Some days, it will feel like meditation. Confidence grows with consistency, and joy follows. It might be surprising that in the beginning, the one thing that is most likely to kill consistency is just doing too much training too quickly. Once you sense how good you feel after a run, you may want to leave too little time for rest and recovery before another run. The result is that after a while, you may start to feel tired or get sick and we are naturally wired to avoid things that make us feel this way. If you progress step by step and have a strong reason for running, you’ll stay motivated and keep going. Possibly without ever looking back.
Maris is a marathon runner with 16 years of experience from 24 marathons, holding an age group Estonian marathon record. She is a certified running coach and the founder of kulg.io. You can also find her in Instagram with @projectrunbaby.
