Which starting level fits me?

How-to 2 min read Updated 6 October 2026

Short answer

Pick the level that matches the last four weeks, not your best season. Between two? Choose the lower one: a plan that starts too easy can catch up, and one that starts too hard is how injuries begin.

Judge by what you have done lately, not what you used to do.
Between two levels? Choose the lower one.
The level only sets week one. The plan builds from there.

The four levels in plain terms

Not yet running: you do not run now, or you walk more than you run.
Occasionally: the odd run most weeks, usually 20 to 30 minutes, with gaps.
Regularly: two or more runs every week for at least a month.
In training: you are already following a structured plan, with a long run each week.

Why honesty matters here

Doing too much too soon is a common route to injury. Fitness improves faster than tendons and bones adapt, so a fit person returning after a break can feel fine for two weeks and then get hurt.

Coming back after a break

If you used to run regularly but have had more than a month off, pick one level below where you were.

In your plan

Your level decides how much running week one holds and how quickly it grows. Starting lower costs very little: if the first weeks feel easy, later weeks build faster.

When to talk to a professional

If you have a heart condition, chest pain on exertion, or a health condition that affects exercise, talk to a doctor before you start a running plan.