How far should a beginner run?

A beginner should run about 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3 km) per session, or 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week. If that includes walking breaks, that still counts.

I'd track minutes, not miles, at the start. Distance depends on your pace, and your pace is going to change a lot over the first couple of months. Twenty-five minutes feels the same whether you cover 1.5 miles or 2.5.

What a first month can look like

• Weeks 1 and 2: 20 minutes of run/walk, about 1 to 1.5 miles total
• Weeks 3 and 4: 25 to 30 minutes, with longer running stretches, about 1.5 to 2 miles
• Month 2: your longest run creeps toward 2 to 3 miles, while the other two runs stay shorter

That's a weekly total of roughly 3 to 6 miles (5 to 10 km) in the first month, which is plenty.

On the days you'd rather skip, League of Fitness can help: you're matched daily with someone near your level, and a run or run/walk synced from Apple Health counts, scored by heart rate zones, so an easy beginner effort still earns its place.

When to add distance

Add distance when your current runs feel comfortable, meaning you finish and think "I could do a bit more". Then add a few minutes to one run a week, not all three. Keep the others the same.

A common rule is to increase total weekly mileage by no more than about 10 percent a week, though early on that rule is too cautious in miles and too aggressive in feel. If you're going from 3 to 3.3 miles, who cares. If you're going from 3 to 5 in one week, that's too much. There's more in how fast you can increase your mileage.

The 5K as a target

Most people use the 5K (3.1 miles) as their first real distance goal. Plenty of beginners get there in 8 to 12 weeks of consistent running, with walk breaks allowed.

If your legs, joints or shins hurt in a way that is sharp or doesn't ease off after a day or two, back off and see a doctor or physical therapist if it sticks around.