Think Running Isn’t for You? Here’s Why You Might Be Wrong

It was just two miles, but every step felt like an act of self-betrayal. My lungs burned, my legs protested, and by the end I was convinced that running was designed for “other people”  the kind of people who woke up at sunrise craving endorphins instead of coffee.

Sure, I knew the science: running boosts heart health, helps manage weight, and has a magical way of clearing the mental cobwebs. But I had also convinced myself that to reap any real benefits, you had to be clocking miles like a marathoner, pounding the pavement for hours every week.

Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

You Don’t Need to Run Far to Get the Rewards

Research says the bar for “healthy running” is far lower than most of us think. A 2019 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which looked at more than 232,000 people, found something startling: running just once a week for less than 50 minutes can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and even premature death.

Let that sink in.

Fifty minutes a week. Michael Clem, doctor of physical therapy at Harvard’s Spaulding Outpatient Center, puts it simply: “Many people think running isn’t for them, but running is a basic skill we’ve had since we learned to walk.” In other words, it’s already in your DNA — you just have to remind your body.

How to Start Running Without Hating It

If the idea of heading out for a straight 20-minute run sounds impossible, here’s the secret: you don’t have to run the whole time.

Try the run/walk method  a game-changer for beginners and skeptics alike. You run for a short burst, then walk until you feel ready to go again. This ebb-and-flow approach keeps your body from burning out and your mind from checking out.

Beginner Plan:

Run for 1–2 minutes at a comfortable pace.

Walk for 4–5 minutes until you fully recover.

Repeat 5 times, twice a week, on nonconsecutive days.

Once that feels doable, inch your running intervals up:

3–4 minutes running, 2–3 minutes walking.

Then 5 minutes running, 1 minute walking.

Gradually aim for 20–25 minutes of mostly running with minimal walking breaks.

From there, it’s up to you. Maybe you want to run longer, maybe faster, or maybe you just want to keep enjoying a consistent, pressure-free routine.

It’s a deeply personal rhythm you get to set for yourself. Some days it’s a slow shuffle, others it’s a steady clip, and sometimes it’s just an excuse to spend a little time outside with your thoughts.

Now, I run when I want, for as long as I want, and never feel guilty about calling it a day early. Because any run  no matter the speed, distance, or frequency  is better than no run at all.

So if you’ve been telling yourself you’re “not a runner,” maybe it’s time to give your sneakers another chance. You might just find that running isn’t about being fast  it’s about showing up for yourself, one step at a time.