Setting a Target Distance and Pace

Everybody's different, so there's no set answer for ideal distance or pace. But here's a starting point that works for most people.

Start with a 30-minute walk or very easy jog. Time yourself for 15 minutes, then turn around and come back. Use a tracking app if you want to know the distance, or plot the route later.

From there, add distance or subtract time as you get comfortable — but not both at once. Add up to 5 minutes each trip at the same brisk pace. Or pick up the pace to a level where you could still hold a conversation.

The walk-run-walk method

A lot of beginners alternate at regular intervals instead of running the whole way. Ninety seconds walking, forty-five seconds running. Then shift the ratio toward more running as you build up, until you can sustain a jog throughout.

It's not cheating. It's how most people get there.

Don't shoot for a record on day one

A slow, sustainable pace is the best way to actually enjoy the run — and enjoying it is what gets you out the door again on Thursday. It's fine to stop and walk whenever you need to.

If the easy version leaves you bored, push a little harder next time and take it extra easy the time after.

Running in New Orleans

A few things about running here that nobody warns you about.

• The heat is the real training partner. From May through September, go early or go late. Midday runs in August will convince you that you're out of shape when you're just overheated.
• Humidity slows your pace and that's normal. Don't compare your July times to your January times.
• The sidewalks are uneven. Watch your footing, especially Uptown. A lot of first injuries here are ankles, not knees.
• Flat ground is a mixed blessing. No hills to fight, but also no variation — your legs do the same thing every step.
• Good places to start: Audubon Park, City Park, the levee path, and the Lafitte Greenway. All flat, all forgiving.

Shoes wear out faster here too. Heat and sweat break down foam and uppers quicker than dry-climate miles do, so expect to replace a little sooner than the box says.

Getting Your First Real Pair

Most beginners buy on looks, price, or what a friend runs in. Then something starts hurting and they assume running isn't for them.

Come in and we'll measure both feet — length, width, and arch length, which is where your foot actually bends. We take a free footprint on the Harris mat, watch you walk, and put you in something that suits how you move. Free, no appointment, takes a few minutes. More on how we fit.

Bring your current shoes. The wear pattern tells us a lot before you even take them off.

Women's Running Shoes

Men's Running Shoes

Also see wide and extra wide and extra-wide running shoes.

A Few Common Questions

How often should I run?

Three days a week with rest days in between is plenty to start. Your muscles adapt faster than your tendons and bones do, which is why the rest days matter more than they feel like they do.

When do I replace my shoes?

Most running shoes are done between 300 and 500 miles, even when the upper still looks fine. If new aches show up and nothing else changed, check the age of your shoes first.

Do I need two pairs?

Not to start. But foam needs time to rebound, so two pairs rotated last more than twice as long as one pair worn straight through.

What about the Crescent City Classic?

Great first race — 10K, flat, and the whole city turns out. Come see us early in your training, not the week before.