Getting started
Getting back into running after a break
Coming back after weeks or years away is easier than it feels: start with one 2.5 km lap, build slowly, and let a free weekly run keep you coming back.
The best way back into running after a break is the smallest run you will not regret: one 2.5 km lap at Glenhaven Oval, at whatever mix of running and walking feels honest on the day. Whether you have been away for a few weeks or a few years, the plan is the same, and it starts with that single lap rather than the distances you used to do.
Start smaller than your last run
The biggest mistake on a comeback is measuring yourself against the runner you were before the break. Your memory of pace is fresh, but your legs have been on holidays. Start with one 2.5 km lap on the Thursday Morning Run and let that be the whole run. If mornings do not suit, the Tuesday Night Run offers one 3 km lap under the lights at Castle Hill Showground.
One lap counts. Nobody at the club runs your watch for you, and a short, honest run you finish feeling good about does more for your comeback than a heroic one you limp away from.
How much fitness you lose, and how it comes back
How you restart depends a little on how long you have been away. The table below keeps it simple.
| Time away | What to expect | Your first week back |
|---|---|---|
| A couple of weeks | Your fitness dips, but your running base is still there | Two or three easy runs, each one 2.5 km lap at conversational effort |
| One to three months | Sharpness and endurance fade first, and the habit is what you have really lost | One 2.5 km lap with walk breaks, plus a couple of short walks on other days |
| Six months or more | Treat it as a fresh start that happens to come with muscle memory | One easy lap, then a rest day, then see how you feel before adding anything |
| Returning after an injury | Take the same path, and get the all clear from your health professional first | Whatever your health professional green lights, starting with one lap or less |
A forgiving first week back
Keep the first week deliberately boring. You are not training yet, you are reminding your body that it runs.
- Run one 2.5 km lap at a pace where you could hold a conversation.
- Walk on the days between runs. An easy half hour walk keeps the habit alive without the impact.
- Stop every run feeling like you could have done a little more. That leftover energy is what brings you back.
- Ignore the watch goals for a fortnight. Effort over numbers while your body settles.
Take your first run back with the club
A comeback run is easier with company, because the group carries the pace and the finish line. Hills Run Club is a free community running club in the Hills District of Sydney, and both weekly runs have short lap options that suit a return.
- Thursday Morning Run: every Thursday, meet 5:45am for a 6:00am start at Glenhaven Oval, 78 Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven. Run one or two 2.5 km laps, then stay for coffee and a sweet treat.
- Tuesday Night Run: every second Tuesday, meet 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start at Castle Hill Showground, under the lights. Enter via Doran Drive, take the first left and follow the road to the lit oval, where the group meets at the large shed.
- Walkers are welcome on both runs, at their own pace.
Register once, then keep showing up
Running with the club is free. Make a free HRC+ account and register for each run there: it takes a minute and it means the club knows to expect you. Upcoming runs include the Thursday Morning Run on 15 October and the Tuesday Night Run on 20 October, with the full list on our runs page.
If it is your first time at any run, here is what actually happens from the moment you arrive.
Keep the comeback slow, then steady
The surest way to end a comeback is to run week one like it is week six. Add distance before you add speed, and only once one 2.5 km lap feels genuinely easy. If you are mixing running and walking, the walk to run progression guide maps the path from walk breaks to a full lap. A little soreness for a day or two is normal. Sharp pain that lingers is a signal to rest, and to get it looked at if it keeps up.
And when the novelty fades, that is what the club is for. The second and third runs are where the habit forms, and a standing Thursday or Tuesday date with people who expect to see you beats motivation every time.
For a break of a couple of weeks, one easy run usually has you feeling like yourself again. After a few months away, expect the first few weeks to feel unfamiliar while your legs and lungs catch up with your enthusiasm.
Yes. Walk breaks are part of the plan, and walkers are welcome on every Hills Run Club run. Mix running and walking however it feels on the day.
Start exactly where a beginner starts: one short lap, easy pace, walk breaks welcome. Your past running helps rhythm and coordination come back faster, but your first run back should still be a small one.
If your current shoes still feel comfortable and cushioned, start in them. If they are worn through or uncomfortable, sort your shoes before you start adding distance.
A club run gives you a fixed time, short distance options and people who notice when you are not there. That structure is usually what keeps a comeback alive after motivation fades. See our runs for what is on.
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