To paraphrase an old Chinese proverb, a journey of a thousand runs begins with a single step – and when you're learning to run, this really is the case. Running can seen daunting before you start and challenging once you get going, but as you keep going – step by step, slowly but surely – you will start to reap the rewards, whether that's improved mental health, greater physical strength, new friends, a race medal or all of the above.

If you start out sensibly and consistently, it won’t be long until you're having fun while getting fit and setting goals. So, are you ready to begin your life as a runner? Check out our top running tips for beginners below.

Follow a training plan

To help you stay motivated and accountable – and to make sure you don't overdo it and get injured before you're running journey has even made much progress – it's a good idea to follow a beginner's training plan.

You'll find various beginner training plans to suit your goals and current ability, from our Couch to 5K programme to our eight-week schedule for new runners. Each plan offers several weeks worth of workouts – including easy runs, speedier efforts as you build your fitness and rest days – which help you to develop your running in a safe, steady and enjoyable manner. You'll also be pleasantly surprised at how easily you can slot running into your day-to-day life, and how quickly running can become a habit. All you need is some enthusiasm, dedication and self-belief – you can do this!

Find safe, traffic-free routes

So, you've sourced your training plan and now have a good idea as to when and how far to run. But where do you go?

Before you lace up, plan some local running routes that you can follow in all kinds of weather conditions, and which are traffic-free wherever possible. If you do need to run on the road because you are in an area with no footpaths, make sure you run against the traffic, unless you’re approaching a blind bend, in which case you should swap sides until it’s safe to cross back.

If you’d prefer to start running indoors on a treadmill – either at home or at the gym – make sure you position yourself in the middle of the belt and go at a pace where you can run comfortably and normally. Gripping the handrails or running too close to the front of the belt can affect your stride, arm swing and posture, all of which could lead to injury.