An expert running coach reveals the three mistakes beginners always make—and the simple steps to fix them

Everyone has to start somewhere—even elite marathon runner Anya Culling.

The Runna coach freely admits that when she laced up for her first marathon in 2019 she made some common mistakes that were totally avoidable.

“People find running really difficult when they start,” she tells Fit&Well. “Often because they are over ambitious, they run too fast or they’re trying to do too much.”

Since joining forces with Runna, she’s been keen to promote the message that running has to be sustainable, and that speed and endurance has to be built progressively.

“We always encourage beginners to start with a number of runs per week that you know your body can tolerate well,” she explains, adding that the number of miles you cover in seven days should never increase by more than 10% week on week.

“You don’t want to overload your body or you’ll increase your risk of injury and burn out, and lose enjoyment.’

To that end, here are the three biggest mistakes she’s noticed beginners always make—and three simple fixes to overcome them.

Mistake: Running non-stop

Fix: Use run-walk intervals

When starting out you don’t need to run non-stop. Culling recommends starting with one minute of running, followed by one to two minutes of walking.

As you improve, you can keep using this run-walk protocol to increase your pace.

One of Culling’s favorite sessions, for example, alternates one kilometer of running with two minutes of walking recovery, repeated five times.

“That’s a really good workout indicator of where your 5K pace is currently at,” she says.

Mistake: Running too fast

Fix: Learn to run at a conversational pace

Culling says running too fast is the second most common mistake beginners make—and a habit that can bring your run to an abrupt and early end.

“You want to start slow and be able to hold a conversation,” she explains.

Put another way, aim for a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) between three and five out of 10.

You should be able to maintain a conversation throughout your run. If you’re only able to speak in broken sentences, you’re going too fast.

One way to instill this—and practice your conversational running pace—is by joining a run club, just like Culling did when she started out.

“I knew I had to work hard enough to improve so I could keep up with other members, but not so hard that I would burn all my matches and wouldn’t be able to run with them in the next session,” she says.

And being able to keep running regularly is when the magic happens. “Being consistent was one thing that really helped me improve,” says Culling.

Mistake: Running without purpose

Fix: Set one clear achievable goal

Lastly, Culling says that running aimlessly is a surefire way to run out of steam.

“You want to challenge yourself but also keep things exciting,” she says, suggesting setting yourself small wins along the way to a bigger goal, like ticking off a 5K parkrun as you build up to a 10K or half marathon.

Culling also stresses the importance of rest days and taking deload weeks with reduced mileage rather than just building up fatigue.

“Deload weeks and rest days are super important to keep you motivated and give your body time to absorb all the hard training you’ve been doing,” she says.

So, before you next lace up, think about your end goal and work backward, including small wins, deload weeks and rest days along the way.