I want to start running 5K and 10K races, but the process feels so painful that I lose motivation

That’s a very common frustration these days, and the root cause is almost always the same: a lack of adaptation and progression in training.

Exactly. What stands between you and being able to complete a set of workouts while staying motivated to continue is the type of training you choose to do. If you’re just getting started in the world of running, or if you’ve done it before and want to get back into it, the best place to begin is with the easiest and most basic step, yet one of the most important: walking.

You’re probably thinking, “That’s far too easy for me,” but a little further on you’ll understand why it is such an essential starting point.

For one week, make sure you go out at least three times for a walk. The goal is for each session to last at least 20 minutes, alternating between a brisk pace and a more moderate one.

Once that first week is done, we move on to the next level, which can last for the following two weeks. At this stage, we begin to alternate walking and running by doing blocks of 5 minutes of walking followed by 30 seconds of easy running.

These blocks can be repeated 4 to 10 times. The walking and easy jogging intervals can be adjusted, but the running segments should not go beyond 60 seconds.

During these weeks of training, the goal is to understand how your body responds to the stimulus of running, to learn how to breathe properly, and, almost without realising it, to begin working on pace while improving your overall fitness.

It’s also important to introduce routines focused on mobility and stability, core work, motor control, and unilateral strength exercises so that the effects of training are enhanced and you begin to feel your body adapting more quickly and positively.

For now, you’ve got a good bit of homework to do: start your running introduction phase.

Enjoy your training, and see you soon.