A walk/run is one of the easiest ways to transition to running.

Brisk walking is one of the easiest exercises you can do. But if you want a real aerobic challenge in less time, kick it up a notch and run instead.

“Running burns more calories per minute, which is why it’s so efficient for getting in a decent workout in just 20 to 40 minutes,” says Amby Burfoot, editor at large of Runner’s World magazine and 1968 winner of the Boston Marathon.

Running helps prevent osteoporosis better than walking because your feet and legs bear more weight with each foot strike, which helps build bone. And it’s a powerful stress reducer due to the release of endorphins, those feel-good brain chemicals. “There are people who say, ‘I hate running, but I love the feeling afterwards,’ ” says Burfoot.

Running can even lengthen lives. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine tracked 284 runners and 156 nonrunners for 21 years. The runners lived longer than the nonrunners and functioned better physically and mentally as they aged.

“What really surprised us is that the runners didn’t just experience less heart disease, but fewer cancers, neurological diseases like Parkinson’s, and infections like pneumonia,” says lead author Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University. You’re never too old to start running. Burfoot offers these suggestions.

Get Going with a Walk/Run
Mixing walking with running eases the transition to running. Alternate walking for, say, one minute and running for two minutes, for a total of 20 to 30 minutes every other day for a week. The next week, walk for one minute while running for three minutes, for 20 to 30 minutes every other day. Keep running more and walking less until you reach 30 minutes of steady running.

“Use the walking breaks to take a rest. Build up by adding more minutes of slow running,” Burfoot says. Easing into running helps avoid muscle aches and pains. On the days you’re not walking/running, fill in with yoga, strength training, and other activities that don’t stress your leg muscles.

A Marathon or a Steady Pace?
Many runners jump into the sport by training for a marathon. It can be done, Burfoot says, but he warns you to allow six months to train for it. You can also run regularly without ever competing, training harder, adding miles, or doing speed work—and still get all the fitness and health benefits. “Decide on the approach or philosophy that works best for you,” he says.

“In running, you’re more likely to be rewarded for being relatively easy on yourself, staying below any thresholds that hurt, and just staying out there and believing that steady exercise pays off,” Burfoot says. To stick with it, find fellow runners through e-mail running groups and Web sites such as www.fitday.com.

Run Right
Good shoes can make your run more comfortable and prevent injury. “Go to a specialty running store with sales staff who run themselves,” Burfoot says. A sock that wicks away moisture from your feet will keep them dry.

Eat a light snack such as a banana or an energy bar an hour before you run. If you’re running for more than 30 minutes, carry a water bottle or run laps in your neighborhood, allowing you to stash a bottle of water in your mailbox, for example. If it’s hot, run in the morning or late in the day—and slow down. “Weather can be an overwhelming enemy,” Burfoot says.

Sandra Gordon is a feature writer for Vitality. To learn more about running, including training tips and injury prevention, visit www.runnersworld.com.

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