Running Questions, Answered

Practical answers for starting to run, fitting training around your week and following a workout. Use the topic links to find a question, then explore the full guide or product steps when you need more detail.

Getting started

How can I start running if I get tired after a few minutes?

Try alternating comfortable running with walking rather than forcing a continuous run. Choose a manageable starting point and allow recovery between sessions. The NHS beginner programme uses run-walk intervals and rest days; it is an example, not a schedule everyone must copy. If you have concerns about starting exercise, seek appropriate advice. Read our run-walk beginner guide.

Do walking breaks count as part of a running workout?

In a planned run-walk workout, walking is one of the training phases, not a recording failure. In AimiRun, the total planned duration includes running and walking; keep recording through the walking intervals. Planned time does not necessarily describe the exact amount you actually ran or walked. See how run-walk guidance works.

How do I choose an app for my first 5K?

Start with the days you can train, your current experience and the guidance you want. Compare running and walking intervals, audio cues, plan changes, device requirements and current costs. A free download does not mean every feature is free. Our beginner running-app checklist helps you compare those choices without assuming one app suits everyone.

Training plans

What should I do if I miss a running workout?

Review why you missed it, how you feel and what is scheduled next before moving the run. Do not assume you must make up every session or put two demanding workouts together. If pain was the reason, the NHS advises avoiding running in pain. A changed plan is not evidence that you have recovered. See a real plan-adjustment example.

How can I fit a running plan around a busy schedule?

List the days and session lengths you can reliably manage, then choose a plan around those constraints. Revisit the schedule when work or travel changes your availability. Explain your current experience as well as your goal; available time alone does not determine a suitable workload. Read how to discuss and review a plan.

Can I prepare for a 5K if I can only run twice a week?

Two available days are a constraint to discuss when choosing your plan, not a guarantee of reaching 5K by a particular date. Allow flexibility in the goal date and review whether the schedule fits your current ability. The NHS example linked above uses three runs per week; it should not be treated as a validated two-run schedule. See the app-selection guide for questions to ask before choosing a plan.

Training basics

How slow should an easy run be?

Use a relaxed effort you can sustain rather than somebody else's pace. Being able to speak comfortably is a useful practical check; if you can only manage a few words, ease off. The CDC explains the talk test as a measure of relative intensity, not a universal easy-run pace prescription. Walking breaks are an option when running feels too demanding.

Tempo run vs. interval run: what's the difference?

Tempo usually describes a sustained, controlled harder effort; intervals describe repeated work separated by recovery. The terms can overlap: a session may use tempo-paced intervals. The B.A.A. training examples show why you need to read the actual stages, targets and recoveries rather than infer a workout from its title alone. Faster training is not a prerequisite for starting a running habit.

Recovery

Should I rest after a hard interval workout?

A hard session is not a reason to add another demanding run the next day. Review fatigue, soreness and your training history before choosing rest or a genuinely easy session. For beginners, the NHS programme includes non-running days between sessions. A recovery run remains exercise; you do not have to run to earn recovery. Do not run through pain.

Is it okay to run on consecutive days?

It depends on your experience, usual workload and recovery, not just the number of days. Experienced runners may use consecutive days, but that does not make the same arrangement appropriate for a beginner. A beginner can start with the rest-day pattern in the NHS programme linked above instead of adding days to keep a streak. Reconsider the next run when you feel unusually tired or sore.

Progression and goals

How do I increase my long-run distance?

Start from a distance you already tolerate and review recovery before extending it. Avoid raising distance and intensity together just to meet a deadline. The NHS injury guidance cautions against increasing running too quickly. This is not a universal weekly percentage rule: a manageable progression depends on your baseline, recent interruptions and how you respond.

Can I train for a half marathon as a beginner?

It can be a longer-term goal, but choose your next step from your current ability rather than immediately following a race-distance schedule. A first-half-marathon plan may already assume a running base: compare its opening sessions with what you can currently do. The B.A.A. offers plans for different experience levels; a plan for a first race is not automatically a plan for a first run.

Pace and effort

Should I train by heart rate or pace?

Treat both as context for the session's purpose and how you feel. Pace describes speed; heart rate reflects a physiological response, but target zones need appropriate interpretation. Mayo Clinic describes perceived effort and heart-rate methods, including how medicines or medical conditions can affect targets. Do not assume one reading proves you should push harder. For device setup, see recording heart rate.

Following your workout

How do I know when to switch between running and walking?

Check the planned intervals before you start. In supported AimiRun run-walk workouts, the current phase and remaining phase time are displayed, and coach voice can cue the scheduled transitions. These cues do not detect your actual gait or restart the timer if you walk early. Respond to how you feel even if a cue has not arrived. Read the run-walk feature guide.

Using AimiRun

Can I change my AimiRun training plan when my schedule changes?

Tell Aimi which days or workouts are affected and what changed. It can discuss and arrange changes to the existing plan, but the result depends on the information available; every request need not produce the same arrangement. Check the saved plan, including later dates, before following it. See running plans and adjustments.

More help

Explore AimiRun features for product instructions, or running guides for detailed examples. For shared access and pricing information, see availability and costs. For spoken workout cues, explore voice coaching.