How do I start running without quitting in a week?
Ishaan Bose11th Sample
6 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Okay so context. I play football with friends on Sundays and I run out of air in 12 minutes. Genuinely. Everyone else is still going and I'm basically a very slow statue near the goalpost.
So I decided I'll start running. Not for any exam reasons, just because I'm tired of being the weakest on the field. I already tried twice. First time: I ran about 2 km as fast as I could on day one, my legs hurt for three days and I never went again. Second time: I did 4 days in a row and got bored by day 5 because it felt like punishment.
I'm in class 11, Kolkata, and our colony has a small park with a loop that's maybe 300 metres. Mornings are okay but I'm not exactly a morning person, evenings after 5 are possible.
What I want to know:
- How slowly should I run? Does slow running actually do anything?
- How many days a week should a beginner start with?
- How do I stop myself from getting bored and quitting?
- Should I do something about shoes? I only have my old school ones.
I don't want to follow a 12-week plan with a spreadsheet, that is exactly how I quit things. Just practical advice from people who actually run, please. Also be honest if the answer is just "stop being lazy" lol.
11 answers & replies
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[+][–]Siddharth RaoDropperSample· 1mo ago
Honest answer: you quit because you started like a sprinter. Run so slowly that it feels silly, slow enough to talk in short sentences. Yes, slow running does something, it builds your base (heart, lungs, tendons) without wrecking you. Three days a week, rest days between. In your park: run one lap, walk one lap, and repeat 4 times. After 2 weeks run 2 laps, walk 1. That's it.
[+][–]Ishaan Bose11thSample· 1mo agoAuthor
ok but "silly slow" is hurting my ego. if i go slower than a walking aunty i'm gonna cry
[+][–]Siddharth RaoDropperSample· 1mo ago
😂 the aunties in my colony pass me every morning, my ego recovered. nobody cares, bro.
[+][–]Harsh Gupta12thSample· 1mo ago
tell your friends you'll run a lap before every Sunday football match. they will make fun of you if you skip, social pressure is the best personal trainer. free of cost.
[+][–]Sara Fernandes11thSample· 1mo ago
Football player here. Running in a park is good but football is stop-and-go, so after a few weeks add short pick-ups: jog 2 minutes, then 4 or 5 easy faster strides of 20 seconds, then walk. Not a sprint, just brisk. It matches the game better. For shoes, old school shoes are okay for the first few weeks if they aren't falling apart and your heel isn't hurting, but if you get shin or knee pain, get proper running shoes before you push on.
[+][–]Aman YadavDropperSample· 1mo ago
Run every day for 5 km to build the habit. Daily repetition is what matters.
[+][–]Siddharth RaoDropperSample· 1mo ago
Aman, respectfully, no. That's exactly how ishaan got hurt twice. Daily 5 km on day one is a fast route to shin splints. Three short runs a week, add distance gradually. Habit comes from small and regular, not big and daily.
[+][–]Aman YadavDropperSample· 1mo ago
Fair. Small and regular, correct. Daily works only after a base. Retract.
[+][–]Neel Chatterjee12thSample· 1mo ago
For boredom: change one thing each run, not the whole plan. New route, a podcast, a friend who runs with you, or a goal like "reach the second lamp post without stopping". Tiny targets keep it interesting. Also, track the days on a calendar and just try not to miss two in a row. One miss is fine.
[+][–]Ishaan Bose11thSample· 1mo agoAuthor
ok this is actually a plan. 3 days (Tue, Thu, Sat), run 1 lap walk 1 lap x4 with the park loop, add the strides in week 4. no spreadsheet, just a calendar and the "never miss two" rule. will report back in two weeks, don't let me forget
[+][–]Kavya NaikDropperSample· 1mo ago
Also please drink water and eat something light an hour before, don't run on a full stomach, you'll get side stitch. And stretch calves afterwards. Best of luck maga 💪
