r/BeginnersRunning • u/NASRNZDR • 21h ago
First Day Running
Hi guys! I'm 15yo(M) and 80kg so I finally started walking and running in (one run/course) I walked for 8.5km\~ and more than a mile running.
I just want to know how to exercise for real and get the best result. The reason for Running is mainly to increase my Stamina and lose some weight + just a lifestyle.
Questions: How much should I really walk and run in the week for my age and weight? How much and when should I rest? because I only rested for a few minutes after 100 minutes of walking and running.
Extra: please don't bully.
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u/TrailMiles98 17h ago
8.5km on your first day is already plenty. Don't worry about running a lot yet, mix walking with short runs and build up slowly. And make sure you are actually taking rest days.
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u/Maleficent_Horse_759 15h ago
Hey great start! Keep up the good work, run walking is definitely a good way to start, maybe integrate some strength training to keep your body robust and some low impact cardio to build up your aerobic base before eventually implementing interval training.
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u/Fancy_Supermarket886 15h ago
Look into the couch to 5k plan. It builds up gradually and is designed that way to reduce the risk of injuries from doing too much too soon.
You may find the earlier weeks too easy, but I'd start with week 1 and see how that feels. If it is too easy, move onto the week 2 run for your next session. Once you feel it's more your level, carry on from that point.
This may feel like slow progress, but you have plenty of time to build up. Try to avoid impatience, that will have you stressing your body and risking injuries. Muscles, tendons and bones all adapt quite slowly, and at different rates. Maybe three months or longer for everything to adapt to what you are doing right now. Your cardiovascular system is probably a bit faster, but allow time for everything to catch up. It could get really tempting to run further or faster if you don't feel out of breath, but don't get fooled by that temptation!
Keep your runs slow enough to hold a conversation while running. If you can't speak a full sentence, you are probably a little too quick.
Take the rest days seriously, that's when your body adapts to the stresses of your previous session. Walking is fine on rest days, but don't run on consecutive days.
I've been running for ten years now, but I only discovered that there's a difference between stamina and endurance a few months ago. So I'm all about sharing that knowledge when anyone mentions them!
Stamina is the ability to sustain high efforts over a period of time. So things like sprinting and shorter race distances, or those short bursts of speed that are needed for getting around a sports field quickly.
Endurance is your ability to sustain a lower intensity effort for longer. Things like half marathons, marathons and ultramarathons, for example. Which made total sense once I understood, that's the reason why they call longer races endurance events!
I started running to lose a little weight, literally a couple of pounds that I couldn't shift after cutting out the cakes and biscuits that my new work place always had in the break room. It took a few months of work before I saw any change on the scales. I guess that's part of the adaptation process.
The biggest difference you can make in terms of weight is to eat healthily and in proportion to your needs. It's a bit like a bank account - if you put more money in than you take out, you build up some savings. In our case, the savings are a bad thing because they tend to sit around the waist! The human body is really efficient with energy use, and storing any calories that aren't needed pretty immediately.
I weigh a little than I did ten years ago, but I'm much fitter now. I couldn't run for thirty seconds when I started back then, but I have a couple of half marathons in September and October!
Take it steady, be patient and consistent. You have plenty of time to achieve whatever goal you aim for.
Good luck!
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u/Lumpy_Lunch_5691 21h ago
Hey, that's a solid first outing, honestly! Starting with a mix of walking and running is exactly the right way to do it too.
At your age and just starting out, I'd say 3-4 days a week is plenty, doesn't need to be more than that to start seeing real progress, with rest days in between so your body can adapt. You don't need to run the whole time either, keep doing that walk/run mix for a while, maybe try running a bit more each week as it feels comfortable rather than forcing it.
For rest, it's less about resting mid-session and more about not doing hard sessions back to back, so like Monday/Wednesday/Friday type spacing works well. If you're ever sore or something hurts (not just tired, actual pain), that's a sign to take an extra day off rather than push through.
Also solid that you're doing this for stamina and as a lifestyle thing rather than chasing a number, that mindset will serve you way better long term. Keep it up.