Your First 5K: A Guide for New Runners

A 5K is a good first goal. It's 3.1 miles, you can be ready in eight weeks, and NYCRUNS holds 5Ks in Prospect Park. You need no running background and very little gear.

Start with run walk intervals

Nobody runs three miles on day one. Start with one minute running, two walking, repeated for 20 to 30 minutes. Each week, run a little more and walk a little less. By week eight the walk breaks have mostly vanished and you're running the whole thing. That's how almost every runner started.

Go slower than feels right

A common beginner mistake is running every run too hard. If you can't talk in full sentences, ease up. Easy running builds fitness without leaving you sore or discouraged.

The only gear that matters

You need shoes. Go to a running shop such as Brooklyn Running Company, Fleet Feet in Park Slope or Bakline in Gowanus, and have them fit you. Skip the gadgets for now. The full list of shops is in the directory.

Three days is plenty

Run three days a week with a rest day between. On off days: walk, stretch, or a little strength work like squats, lunges, and calf raises. More is not better this early.

Race day

• Pick up your bib early and pin it to the front of your shirt.
• Wear only what you've already run in. Nothing new on race day.
• Start at the back and settle into an easy pace.
• Walk whenever you need to. Finishing is the goal for a first 5K.