Last Updated: February 6th, 2021
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It’s all going great…until you realize that you cannot continue anymore.
You don’t have the courage to keep going…you are all burnt out from trying to run excessively on the first day of your workout.
What will you do?
Basically you have two options now…to give up…or to scale back and follow the below plan of running a mile a day for beginners.
And this is where you should have started anyway…why?
When you are starting out…you should not focus too much on running a huge distance.
Instead, you should invest yourself in learning the proper running form and building a solid running base.
And when you train to run a mile a day you are doing exactly that. You will also start building your stamina and will get back into great cardiovascular shape.
Running a mile a day – the plan
There are too many plans out there that promise you big like helping you to run a marathon in a couple of weeks.
But let’s be honest…first you need to learn to run and should not be burnt out.
You may follow this plan or any plan for that matter…but see to it that those plans provide you with a gradual approach.
Anything sudden will lead to a lot of injuries and will shatter your dreams of starting or getting back to running.
I’ll not waste any further of your time, and will provide you with the plan.
Prerequisite:
- A good running shoe
- A bottle/pouch of water
- Any running app
- An uninterrupted time chunk of 20 mins, three times a week for 4 weeks.
Best Running Shoes For Beginners
- The Glycerin 18 is perfect for runners who think there's no such thing as too much cushioning
- Provides neutral support while offering the maximum amount of cushioning.
- The plush transition zone makes every move from heel to toe feel incredibly soft and smooth
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Week 1:
Day 1: Run 0.7 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Run 0.07 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Run 0.07 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Week 2:
Day 1: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Week 3:
Day 1: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Week 4:
Day 1: Run 1 mile
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Run 1 mile
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Run 1 mile
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
If you observe, this plan gradually improves your stamina and builds it to the point where you will be able to run a mile effortlessly.
Once you reach that point, you should focus on improving your speed.
How to run a mile without losing breath?
Also, if you are a beginner, do not focus on running the entire mile continuously on your first week. Gradually increase your distance and you will soon be able to run an entire mile without losing breath.
However, if you are still losing your breath while trying to run a mile, watch out for the below causes:
You are too fast – If you run too fast your body may get tired easily and you will be out of breath too soon. Instead, try to run in such a way that you will be able to talk comfortably. This way you will be able to run a mile without losing your breath.
You are trying to run a mile in one shot – This is a common problem for any beginner. You may be trying to run the entire distance continuously. However, if you are just starting you will not be able to run. You may not be having enough stamina. So, take a different approach. Use the above plan or any other walk/run method.
Related: How To Improve Running Stamina In Under 2 Weeks?
Your lung capacity may be less – Sometimes your breathlessness may not be related to lack of stamina. It may be due to lesser lung capacity often related to smoking or asthma. In such a case, you will need to do some breathing exercises. Yogic breathing or pranayama will be able to improve your lung capacity very easily.
Related: 8 Essential Breathing Tips for New Runners
Your cardiovascular health may not be in good shape – This is impossible for you to know beforehand if you don’t get a thorough checkup. Before beginning any running plan, check with your physician. Take any kind of special physical examination that your doc may suggest. This will help you to eliminate any such health-related problems or get timely treatment.
You are dehydrated – Yes…water may not seem to serve any purpose other than quenching your thirst. However, if you are dehydrated then you may get tired too quickly. In general try to take 3 liters of water everyday.
How to train to run a mile on a treadmill?
If you are training to run a mile on a treadmill, it is no different than your road running. I mean road running and treadmill running are different, but for the sake of running a mile, the training pattern is almost the same.
You may follow the above plan and use it for training on a treadmill.
However, here are some cautions you must follow. First of all, you should be running on a treadmill with shock absorption.
Otherwise, the continuous belt movement will provide you with a bouncy motion which is very bad for your knees and may cause a lot of damage.
Another precaution you should take is that you should not run without running shoes. This is very different from that of road running.
But why?
When your skin comes in contact with the treadmill belt, there is a friction that happens. This friction generates heat. So, if you keep running bare feet on a treadmill you will end up having blisters.
So, a middle way can be to wear minimalist running shoes to enjoy the best of both worlds.
I’ve personally used Vibram Women’s V Trail Runner as I found them more durable. However, WHITIN FiveFinger running shoes are also great and cheaper than Vibram ones.
One major problem that many runners face on the treadmill is boredom. Here are some effective ways to enjoy every treadmill run. Also, before skipping your treadmill routine next time, remember that it can be very useful in helping you to reduce weight fast.
If you run a mile a day, will you lose weight?
If you run a mile a day, you will lose weight, provided you don’t eat too much.
As I always told in my previous posts, losing weight if 30% exercise and 70% food.
So, if you are running a mile every day but still eating a lot, you will not be able to lose weight.
What can be more frustrating is, you may even gain weight from your running.
So, if you are utilizing your running for weight loss, then you must also try to focus on your diet.
And while you are at that, remember all your macronutrients are important – in other words, your food should have a balance of protein, carbs, and fat.
Yes, you read it right – carbs and fat. If you skimp on that, your body will revolt and you will not be able to reduce your weight effectively.
If you are not sure what to eat, follow this food guide. It not only has the details of food that are good for your body, but will also help you to build your running stamina.
What kind of result should I expect, if I run 1 mile a day?
If by result you mean weight loss, then sure, it may happen. However, that is not guaranteed.
Here are some of the other results of running a mile a day:
- You will have improved cardiovascular health.
- Your depression and mood swings will be under control.
- You will enjoy stronger bones.
- Your sleep quality will improve.
- Your brain function will develop.
- You will be less stressed.
- Your weight will be under control.
- Your lifespan may improve.
Can I run a mile every day?
Technically you can run a mile every day. However, there are certain problems with that.
Running is very demanding on your body and running a mile is not a very short distance.
So, if you are running every day, your body will not get any time to recover itself. So, sooner or later you will start to see some injuries getting developed.
And if you still run with those injuries, they may develop into something more damaging over time and you will have to stop your exercises completely.
If you still go ahead with running every day, watch out for burnout signs like:
- Knee pain
- Calf muscle stiffness and pain.
- Pain in the Achilles tendons or in your foot arch.
- Sprained ankle.
- Pain in the groin area.
- Pain in your lower back.
Will running a mile a day improve my stamina?
Yes running a mile a day will improve your stamina. Also, you will be building a solid running base for yourself.
What else?
You will be able to improve your overall health.
However, running a mile a day will improve your stamina so far. If you still want to improve it more, then you will have to use other strategies.
Related: 17 Insanely Actionable Tips to Improve Your Running Endurance Today
If I run a mile a day, will I get faster?
The answer depends. You may or may not get faster.
I’m experimenting with a couple of plans to find out which helps me to run a faster mile.
Once I can pinpoint one, I’ll be sharing that with you.
Conclusion
Running a mile a day should be the first target to achieve for any beginner. This will help you to learn to run and will build your running foundation.
However, you should try to conquer this one mile running gradually.
This will keep you motivated and you will not get injured unnecessarily.
And whatever you do, remember to have fun.
Madhusree Basu
Author, Admin
Blogger and a fitness enthusiast. She loves running and Yoga and everything in between. She started running to manage her weight and to eat to her heart’s content. A true foodie at heart she shares whatever knowledge she has gained throughout the years about weight management and fitness.
