How do I start running if I'm a complete beginner?

Start with run/walk intervals, three days a week, about 20 to 30 minutes each. Jog for 1 minute, walk for 1 to 2 minutes, and repeat. Do that for a week or two, then make the jogging chunks a little longer and the walking chunks a little shorter.

Almost every beginner makes the same mistake: they run too fast on day one, feel awful, and decide running isn't for them. The fix is almost always to slow down.

Pace is the whole trick

Your easy pace should feel embarrassingly slow. A good test is whether you can say a full sentence out loud without gasping. If you can't, walk or slow down. Nobody is timing you yet.

A first four weeks

1. Week 1: 8 rounds of 1 minute jogging, 90 seconds walking. Three days, with a rest day between each.
2. Week 2: 8 rounds of 2 minutes jogging, 90 seconds walking.
3. Week 3: 6 rounds of 3 minutes jogging, 90 seconds walking.
4. Week 4: 5 rounds of 5 minutes jogging, 1 minute walking.

If a week feels too hard, repeat it. There's no prize for finishing the plan faster. A structured plan like this is basically what couch to 5K is.

Gear and surface

You need shoes that fit and aren't worn out. That's about it. If you can, run on a flat path or a track for the first few weeks, because hills and uneven ground add effort that you don't need yet.

What soreness is normal

Tired legs and some muscle soreness the day after are normal in the first couple of weeks. Sharp pain in a shin, knee or foot that gets worse as you run is not. Stop, rest a few days, and if it lingers more than a week or keeps coming back, see a doctor or physical therapist.

Keep it going

Pick fixed days and put them in your calendar. I think the people who stick with running are the ones who made it routine, not the ones who felt motivated. After a month or two, you'll notice the same route feels easier, and that's when it starts being enjoyable.

League of Fitness can help with the routine part. You are matched every day with someone near your level, runs and walks sync from Apple Health, and scoring is based on effort and heart rate zones, so a slow beginner jog counts for what it was.