Getting back into running after a long break

Written for Ridents: the essentials, without the noise.

The mistake almost everyone makes is to run the way they used to. After a long break the heart and lungs recover quickly but tendons and joints take months, so the plan has to be slower than feels necessary. Alternate one minute of easy running with ninety seconds of walking, three times a week, and add a little running each week.

The mistake almost everyone makes is to run the way they used to.

Run slowly enough to hold a conversation, replace shoes that are more than a year old, and take a rest day between runs. Niggles that disappear after a warm-up are normal; pain that changes how you run is a sign to stop and walk home. In about nine weeks most people can run for thirty minutes without stopping, which is the point where running starts to feel like a reward.