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 can adjust to whatever the day gives you.

Tired, under the weather, stuck on a hilly trail? You still finish your 30 minutes — no forcing, no pushing through a niggle just to hit a number on the map.

That's not just easier. It's safer. Chasing mileage is how beginners get injured, discouraged, or quit. Running for time keeps you consistent, and consistency is what actually gets you there.

Our contributor Lisa Jhung walks through exactly why — with a few real-world scenarios you'll probably recognize.

A member you should meet: Heather

Heather, one of our members in Central Florida, isn't new to running — she's new to running sustainably. Her earlier attempts never stuck: undiagnosed asthma, a few injuries, and the classic mistake of skipping ahead because the early weeks feel too easy.

This time she started at Week 1, let the walks be walks, and trusted the process. She's now in Week 11, running continuously and getting faster.

Here's her mantra (I love it):

That's the whole game. Going slow isn't falling behind — it's the method. Go so slowly you can't fail.

Heather's also an author — she writes upper middle grade fantasy, with the first book in her four-book series out now.

You can find her books here.

Another member you should meet: Bonnye

Bonnye, one of our members in Italy, came to running in the middle of the hardest stretch of her life. After a cancer diagnosis, years of treatment, and being told by her doctor to rest and avoid any effort, she found our beginner plan and made it her own.

In her words:

She recently ran her first 3K. On June 7th, she lined up for the 5K Frauenlauf in her town.

When we asked how running has changed her, she said: "I feel invincible… little by little."

That's the pace we love around here. Not all at once — little by little. One more kilometre, one more run, one more day of showing up.

Cheers,

Coach Mark

P.S. — New in the app: Custom Workouts are now live on iOS. Build your own intervals - work, recovery, repeats, all your way - or start with one of my curated runs like N2R Bridge to Week 10, Pick Me Up, or The Pyramid. This is a great way to maintain your fitness levels when you're not working through a specific plan. Android runners, it's on the way to you within the next week!

​NONE TO RUN​
Mark Kennedy, Founder of None to Run
​mark@nonetorun.com​

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