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I'm starting to get into running, and as you might expect, i have to alternate walking and running/jogging.

What is a good, reasonable, or expected distance for me to continuously run without stopping or walking. Where i am now i can go probably up to two hundred feet running without stopping, but this honestly seems utterly pathetic compared to what is accomplished by anyone i talk to of roughly my age and weight(1 - 1.5 mi). What should i really be aiming to run for nonstop?

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    The Couch to 5k podcasts are a good way to get started running. They tell you when to walk and when to run with a nice progression.
    – BackInShapeBuddy
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 17:03

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I would say that about 20 minutes is a good goal. Start by running a lamp post then walking and gradually cut out the walks. There's a very good app called Couch to 5k which I have recommended to lots of people, who can now comfortably run for 30 minutes. Don't worry about what others are doing. Running is a very personal journey, and as long as you are enjoying it, and feel you are getting something from it, then stick with it. Take your time increasing gradually each week, each month. The key thing for a beginner is not to increase too quickly, as this will result in injury. Good luck on your running journey :)

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  • I don't really have much to add to Tracy's answer other than that the Couch to 5k pattern worked for me, although I had to repeat some weeks, especially when the weather got hot and I found it more difficult to sustain the efforts. Don't be afraid to repeat a week if you have trouble with it, particularly if you had a break in routine such as not running the week before. And listen to your body. I also do recommend figuring out a decent cadence that works for you and finding music that helps you stick to it. Otherwise, it's easy to run faster than you think, and get dispirited.
    – Sean Duggan ♦
    Commented May 26, 2015 at 10:14
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The 120/30 test is something about the best kick off practice. Measure the heart rate during jog and switch back to walk once HR goes beyond 120 which almost always after 2-3 min run by fact. Afterwards run again. Repeat. 30 minutes long.

Keep trying until your HR stabilises and then you can achieve more.

Why 120bpm? Because of recovery run based on that. All marathoners keep running recovery slow pace run during training period. It keeps heart healthy and ready to push hard next time.

Heart Rate is the key, build heart muscles first then you can run marathon or jogging faster. No marathoners run on high pulse.

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  • If possible, could you cite a source for your advice? It would be nice to see a study of some kind surrounding this.
    – Alec
    Commented Jun 1, 2015 at 7:58
  • Of course, skirun.ru/2010/09/07/running-school-begin-run
    – Anatoly
    Commented Jun 1, 2015 at 8:20
  • As mentioned the study behind that technique is Recovery Run pace
    – Anatoly
    Commented Jun 1, 2015 at 8:41
  • Got anything in English? And preferably a study instead of an article?
    – Alec
    Commented Jun 1, 2015 at 10:38
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat.
    – Alec
    Commented Jun 1, 2015 at 11:58

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