Left. Right. Repeat.

Keeping marathon training simple for beginners

When training for your first road race, looking too far ahead in your training plan can make the journey seem even more daunting. Enter Mark Kennedy, founder of the popular None to Run program with some advice, and a workout, that takes things one step at a time.

A marathon is often seen as the ultimate running goal, but for some starting out, it can seem as distant as Mars. When building up to run a 5k, 10k and eventually a marathon, beginner runners must progress slowly and run with consistency.

Becoming a consistent runner is hard. People struggle to find the time to run. Irregular and demanding work schedules, kids and other commitments make it difficult to give running the time it needs. Those new to running get out of breath quickly and wonder why the heck they’re inf licting pain on themselves.

None to Run is a 12-week running plan for beginner runners. It progresses slowly, is adaptable and helps people gain the consistency and confidence they’re looking for. The first week’s workout is designed for beginners to experience early success. Most people find the workout easy and finish with some fuel in the tank. That’s the point; each run builds on the last.

None to Run also incorporates walk breaks to slowly increase time spent running and overall time on your feet. Don’t worry about pace. That can come later. When just starting out, runners need early wins, a taste of success and this simple workout provides just that.