Are You Really a Beginning Runner?

4. How do you plan to train?

a. By myself with the help of a training plan I found online

b. By myself without a particular plan. I will just run and walk as much as I feel like it a few times a week

c. With a charity training group that's led by a coach

d. One of my best friends is training for a marathon, and I'm going to train with her  

e. I'm going to see if I can keep up with the group runs at my local running shoe store

More: 5K Training Tips for Beginners

5. How do you feel when you run?

a. My lungs burn, my legs feel tired, and it's hard to make it around the 2-mile loop in my local park

b. I alternate running with walking, and the running feels hard at the end of my workout, but I can get through it

c. I feel pretty good for the first quarter to half mile when I'm running, but then I start to get tired and some days I'm not able to complete an entire mile without stopping to walk a bit

d. I feel a little embarrassed when I run because I feel like I'm moving so slowly. When I catch people watching me, I usually start walking

e. Running was hard at first, but I added a half-mile each week to one of my runs, and now I feel pretty good that I can run three to four miles without stopping

More: 8 Tips to Overcome Embarrassment of Running in Public

6. How do you feel right after you run?

a. Exhausted

b. I'm happy that I got exercise and feel OK right when I finish, but I get tired later in the day

c. It depends on the day; some days I feel good, and other days I feel really tired

d. I feel pretty good, and happy that I pushed myself to do it

e. On most days, I feel like I could run a little more

More: How Fast Should Beginners Run?

7. If you've been running for a few weeks, how do you feel about your progress so far?

a. I thought running was supposed to make you feel more energetic, but I mostly just feel tired. I also haven't lost much weight yet, so that's frustrating

b. I like how running helps me relieve stress, and I feel like I've accomplished something when I get home from my run (or run/walk)

c. I felt tired for a few days after my last run, then I had to travel for work, and things got busy at home, so I haven't really run in almost two weeks

d. My knee has been bugging me a bit lately, and I'm not sure what to do about it

e. I feel great, and I want to do more to keep the momentum going

More: How Beginning Runners Can Improve Endurance Without Injury