[stanmancan]

10km/h is very fast for a beginner and likely unsustainable for more than a couple of minutes, I would expect most people to be starting around 5-6km/h if they’re a healthy weight.

I think the best piece of advice is START SLOW. way slower than you think. And run for way shorter than you think. Even if your lungs and muscles are fine, if you haven’t ran for a while then your tendons certainly aren’t. You won’t know until it’s too late and then you’ll be out of the game for weeks or months. If you can run on grass or a softer surface your body will thank you, running on concrete is brutal until you’re used to it.

There’s probably programs than you can follow that introduce you to running, I’d follow one of those.

[thevillagechief]

Listen to this advice. I took off the winter and then just jumped back into running in the spring like nothing happened and it has not been fun. Should have started way slower and with much shorter distances. I won't races longer than 8K this year due to niggling injuries.

[bigDinosaur]

You expect people to start running at 5-6km/h which is about a fast walking pace? That seems unduly slow?

[stanmancan]

If you haven’t ran before and are carrying some extra weight then yeah it’s probably a good place to start for your first couple of short runs. Even running slowly puts additional stress on your achilles so it’s a bit of a wake up call to your body. Running slowly for 10 minutes a few times when you’re just getting started isn’t going to hurt anyone and if everything checks out then you can start to up the pace.

[paulryanrogers]

> Running slowly for 10 minutes a few times ... isn't going to hurt anybody.

Heh, don't get old or be born with the wrong genes. I have to start at no more than about 2min at a time being middle aged now. Some of us are born weaker and more fragile. Aging only makes this worse.

Strength training can help, though I've accumulated enough stubborn injuries now that I'm just thankful I can do anything.

[stanmancan]

Yes exactly! Good for you for keeping at it.

[Karupan]

I’m horribly out of shape and that’s pretty much what I can manage. The question isn’t how fast _should_ I go, but how fast _can_ I go so that I can come back and do it the next day.

[tom_]

Running is harder work than walking. Try it!

[tredre3]

I want to try it but how am I supposed to run at the same speed as I walk?

I mean physically, what am I supposed to do to run at 5-6km/h? Should I exaggerate and slow down my run stance? Like I'm fake running? Is that more demanding than walking and a good intro to running vs just running/jogging?

[lenkite]

This is called "jogging" not "running" and it is perfectly fine to do it a pace less than a medium-brisk walk.

[mattlondon]

I wouldn't get too hung up on actual speed or numbers, but try to just keep it slow.

I hear what you are saying. Running gait is more sort of a lean-forward-and-push-off-with-toes type thing than a smooth easy walk. You can do that with short strides and medium-cadence and you won't go very fast.

Perhaps just transition into a run and then make a conscious effort to slow down, or go the other way where you walk faster and faster until your instinct is to change to a running gait and try to keep that pace.

The important thing is to try not run too fast "by accident".

Good luck