Park running · Absolute beginners
Your first lap is slower than you think. That's the point.
First Lap Trails is for people who have never run and would like to — on the loop in the park nearest their front door, at a pace where you can still talk, one lap at a time.
Start at lap one Jump to the 5K
Seven laps, in order
Each one is something we got wrong first, then figured out on the same park loop.
Choosing your park loop
Flat, lit, a tap and a bench, close to home: the five things that make a first route stick.
The walk-run first month
One minute jogging, two minutes walking, and the four-week shape that turns that into a habit.
Shoes without the jargon
What actually matters when you buy your first pair, and the marketing you can safely ignore.
The early-morning kit
Layers, light, keys and phone: the small list that makes a 6 a.m. lap comfortable instead of miserable.
Sharing the path
Dogs, bikes, prams and headphones: the unwritten rules that keep a busy park loop friendly.
The talk test
The only pacing tool a beginner needs, and why almost everyone starts too fast.
The lap rule
Slow enough to talk. Short enough to want to come back. Close enough that "not today" has no excuse. Everything on this site follows from those three lines.
About the loop