None to Run | Beginner running advice

Panache Power 5021, the #3 pick blog post The sports bras our runners swear by I’ll be upfront: I’m not the right person to tell you which sports bra to buy. But a lot of you are, and this is one of the most common gear questions we get from new runners. So we asked the None to Run community. Last month, runners told us which high-impact sports bra they wear and why. Hayley pulled it all together into one list, counted down from #6 to the one mentioned most. No brand paid to be on our list....

Fall back in with us this October. The days are getting shorter, and it's easy to let that turn into more time on the couch (and the doomscrolling that comes with it). The Fall Back In Challenge is four weeks, two runs per week, starting October 1st. You can use whatever plan you're already working through, or try something new. We teamed up with Emma Flynn, a None to Run grad, who built two workouts just for this challenge. Both take under 30 minutes, including the warm-up, and you'll find...

Hey Reader, I built a workout in the app for the days you're tired, short on time, or just not into it. It's called Not Feeling It. Walk 5 minutes to warm up. Run 20 seconds, walk 2 minutes, repeat 5 times. That's 16 minutes and 40 seconds, and most of it is walking. Twenty seconds is not a typo. On a low day, the point is getting out the door and doing something. And that still counts. Once you’re moving, you might even feel better than you expected. And if you don’t, you still showed up and...

ONE THING I KEEP HEARING I've been talking with None to Run members lately, and the same thing keeps coming up: Everyone loves the running, and almost everyone finds it hard to stay consistent with strength training. The fix isn't to do more. It's to lower the bar. One short session a week, even 15 minutes on a few key exercises, counts as a win. Two is better, but one session you actually stick with beats a perfect plan you can't keep up with. Something that's working for some N2R runners:...

Hey Reader, My family and I just spent July at a cottage north of Toronto. It was such a great month and a reminder of how much I like being outdoors! Lots of fishing with my boys, swimming, playing board games and some running :) I hope you're having a great summer (or winter if you're south of the equator). On the blog: Why beginners should run for time, not distance Heather's mantra (see below) gets at something we come back to a lot: when you run for time instead of distance, your pace...

Hey Reader, Beginners ask me all the time what to eat before a run, and whether carbs are even allowed. So I got a nutritionist to answer it properly! Our new post is written by Juliet O'Sullivan, a certified nutritionist and the founder of Life & Fork Nutrition. Her short version: Carbs are your friend; a small snack like toast with honey or a banana 30 to 60 minutes beforehand is usually all you need, and you can skip gels and sports drinks until your runs pass an hour. It's a practical...

Hey Reader, "How slow should I run?" Going slow is the skill. The honest answer: don't chase a pace on your watch or decide that you need to be totally gassed for a workout to count. Run by effort. Pace doesn't know you slept poorly or that it's 100 degrees and humid out. Most new runners go too fast — slow down more than you think you need to. Easiest check — the talk test: if you can hold a conversation, you're in the right zone. Only getting a few words out? Back off to a walk. Walking...

Hey Reader, A belated Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there! 📖 New on the blog The First Month of Running is the Hardest. Here's How to Survive It. The first 30 days of running can be rough — sore muscles, achy joints, a hunger you can't explain, and a serious need for naps. It's normal. Your body is adjusting. Lisa Jhung put together 8 practical strategies to get you through the hardest stretch, from managing DOMS to why varying your routes matters more than you'd think. Read the...

Hey Reader, Tips, inspiration, more on our research study....lots to talk about this week! Let's dive in. I Started Running at 82. I'd Never Run Before. Marian Leicester started running at 82! She tried Couch to 5K first and found it too aggressive. Then she found None to Run, completed all 12 weeks without repeating a single week, and never got injured. She kept the whole thing a secret for weeks and ran early mornings so nobody would see her. Her story is one of the most inspiring...

Hey Reader, Welcome to Week 7. Just two more weeks to go! Congrats to Jess, who completed the None to Run plan last week. 🎉🎉 Way to GO! In case you missed it Week 6's email Julie Blackwood, Sports Psychologist This Week's Recommended Reading: Overcome Mental Hurdles: 9 Tips for New Runners Your brain might be the biggest barrier between you and running longer. With these 9 science-backed mental strategies from a sport psychologist, you'll learn exactly how to outsmart negative thoughts, stay...