# Running and jogging > Start with short runs mixed with walking, about three times a week with rest days between. A free plan such as the NHS Couch to 5K builds up over 9 weeks or longer, at your own pace. parkrun is a free weekly 5km where walking is welcome. - Type: Guide - Topic: Getting Moving › Activity Types: Walking to the Gym - Reviewed by: Andrew Schox, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod, Podiatrist (2026-10-21) - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/running-and-jogging - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Start with run-walk intervals.** The free NHS Couch to 5K plan begins with 1-minute runs and 1 minute 30 seconds of walking, at a pace that feels right for you [1]. - **About three runs a week, with rest days between,** is the usual way to build up [1]. - **Start small and build gradually.** Some activity is better than none, and you can add how often, how hard and how long over time [2]. - **parkrun is a free weekly 5km** where you can walk, jog or run at your own pace [3]. ## How do you start running from nothing? Start with a run-walk plan: short bursts of running mixed with walking, at a pace that feels right for you. The free NHS Couch to 5K plan works this way [1]. It runs over 9 weeks, with 3 sessions a week that alternate between walking and running [4]. In week one, each session begins with a brisk five-minute walk. You then alternate one minute of running with one and a half minutes of walking, for 20 minutes in total [5]. Each week you run a little more, until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping [1]. If you need longer than 9 weeks, that's fine; the plan allows for it [1]. The WHO advises starting with small amounts and gradually increasing how often, how hard and how long you go [2]. No exact build-up schedule has been shown to prevent running injuries, so let how you feel and recover guide you [6]. Getting out of breath is normal. If you can't talk, slow down or walk for a while. > **Try this:** Pick three days this week with a rest day between each, and try the first week of a run-walk plan at an easy pace. ## How often should a new runner run? About three times a week, with rest days between runs. That is how the NHS Couch to 5K plan is set up, with a fresh schedule each week [1]. Healthdirect suggests resting for 24 to 48 hours between runs. On rest days you can try another activity such as swimming or cycling, or simply rest [7]. If three runs a week feels like too much, do fewer. Any amount of running, even just once a week, is linked with a lower risk of early death than no running, and more running isn't necessarily linked with more benefit [8]. Running for as little as 10 minutes a day can improve your health [7]. Build up gradually rather than adding a lot at once [2]. Add a little to how often, how hard or how long you run, and change one thing at a time. ## What is parkrun? parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5km event that anyone can join. You can walk, jog or run, with no time limit [3]. It takes place on Saturday mornings, and you can also volunteer or spectate [9]. You only need to register once, whether you walk, jog, run or volunteer [9]. It is not a race. It is fine to walk, or to mix walking and running, at the pace that suits you [10]. You don't have to go every week [10]. If the crowd at the start is a worry, you can start at the back or off to one side [10]. People mainly take part to improve their fitness and for the social side. People who don't see themselves as runners tend to take part more [11]. If you build up to an event, plan what you will do afterwards. Activity built up for an event tended to drop in the months after, though some newcomers kept increasing theirs [12]. Check a local event's details yourself before you go. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. If you feel sick, sweaty or unwell, have unexplained discomfort, or have breathlessness or dizziness that doesn't settle, stop. If it has settled, see a doctor soon. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. If new symptoms appear as you increase your activity, check with a doctor or other healthcare provider [2]. Running injuries are common, most often in the knee, foot or ankle, and lower leg [6]. Soreness a day or two after a run is normal and fades. For a sore muscle or joint, ease off, and see a doctor or physio if it persists or gets worse. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If you live with a disability, activity is considered safe when it suits your current level. Some people may need a healthcare professional or disability specialist to work out the right type and amount [2]. ## Quick answers ### How long should my first run be? In week one of the NHS Couch to 5K plan, a session lasts 20 minutes in total. It starts with a brisk five-minute walk, then alternates one minute of running with one and a half minutes of walking. Most of the session is walking, and you go at a pace that feels right for you. ### Can I walk during a run and still call it running? Yes. Run-walk plans such as Couch to 5K are built on alternating running and walking, and they build up until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping. At parkrun you can run, walk or mix both. What matters is going at a pace that suits you. ### Is it too late to start running in my 60s? Healthdirect says beginners of any age can start running. Begin with short run-walk intervals at an easy pace, build up gradually, and take longer than the plan suggests if you need to. If you're starting after a long break, see your doctor first. ### What should I do if I miss a week? Missing a week happens and is nothing to feel bad about. Return to your next planned session at a comfortable pace. The NHS plan is designed so you can take longer than 9 weeks, and doing less than planned is still better than doing none. ## Sources 1. NHS Better Health. Get running with Couch to 5K. https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/get-running-with-couch-to-5k 2. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 3. NHS Better Health. Get active. http://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/ 4. NHS Better Health. Couch to 5K running plan. https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/couch-to-5k-running-plan/ 5. Havering's Family Services Hub. Couch to 5K: week by week. https://familyserviceshub.havering.gov.uk/kb5/havering/directory/advice.page?id=myVZXfvyqW8 6. Fredette A et al. (2022). The Association Between Running Injuries and Training Parameters: A Systematic Review. Journal of Athletic Training. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9528699/ 7. healthdirect Australia. Running tips for beginners. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/healthy-living/physical-activity/running-tips 8. Pedisic Z et al. (2020). Is running associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and is the more the better? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100493 9. East Sussex 1Space. parkrun. https://1space.eastsussex.gov.uk/Services/2757/parkrun 10. York Street Medical Practice. parkrun guide. https://yorkstreetmedicalpractice.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/parkrun-accessible-language-guide.pdf 11. Peterson B et al. (2022). Outcomes of participation in parkrun, and factors influencing why and how often individuals participate: A systematic review of quantitative studies. Journal of Sports Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2086522 12. McVinnie Z et al. (2023). Effects of engaging in mass participation sporting events on physical activity behaviour: a systematic review. Health Promotion International. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad018 --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/running-and-jogging). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.