The short answer: start the plan in whatever comfortable sneakers you already own, and buy a dedicated running pair around week 3 or 4. The NHS advice for its beginner plan is simply to wear comfortable clothes and “running shoes that support your feet” (NHS). Beyond that, a handful of specs on the box and a few checks in the store tell you most of what you need.
Do I need running shoes for week 1?
No. Week 1 of the 9-week plan is 8 rounds of run 1 minute, walk 90 seconds: 8 minutes of running in a session of about 30 minutes. Any athletic shoe that bends at the ball of the foot, stays on your heel and leaves your toes room is enough to get started.
What changes over the plan is how long you stay on your feet running without a break:
| Week | Run minutes per session | Longest single run | Session length incl. warm-up and cool-down |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 1 min | 30 min |
| 2 | 9 | 1.5 min | 31 min |
| 3 | 9 | 3 min | 28 min |
| 4 | 16 | 5 min | 31.5 min |
| 5 | 15–20 | 20 min (day 3) | 30–31 min |
| 6 | 18–25 | 25 min (day 3) | 33–35 min |
| 7 | 25 | 25 min | 35 min |
| 8 | 28 | 28 min | 38 min |
| 9 | 30 | 30 min | 40 min |
When is a dedicated pair worth buying?
Around weeks 3 to 4. Run time per session jumps from 9 minutes in week 3 to 16 minutes in week 4, and the longest single run goes from 3 minutes to 5. By week 5, day 3 you run 20 minutes without stopping. Buying before week 4 gives you a few sessions to get used to the pair before the longer runs.
A practical signal: if your current shoes feel fine through all of week 3, you can keep using them and buy when they stop feeling fine. If they already feel loose, stiff or cramped in week 2, buy sooner.
What do the specs on the box mean?
Four numbers and words cover most of it: weight, drop, stack or cushion, and width. None of them has a single right value. They describe how the shoe is built so you can compare pairs that feel similar on your foot.
Weight. Usually listed in ounces or grams for one shoe in a reference size. Lighter shoes feel quicker; heavier ones often have more cushion or a firmer structure. For runs of 30 minutes or less, comfort matters more than a difference of an ounce or two.
Heel-to-toe drop. The difference in height between the heel and the forefoot, in millimeters. Running shoes range from 0 mm (flat) up to about 12 mm. Everyday sneakers often sit at the higher end. If your current shoes feel fine, a similar drop is the easy choice.
Stack height and cushion. Stack is how much material sits between your foot and the ground. Higher stack usually means softer, more cushioned landings; lower stack gives more ground feel. Cushion is often described in words such as firm, balanced or plush rather than numbers.
Width. Many running shoes come in standard and wide versions, sometimes extra wide. If your toes press against the sides or you feel the edge of the sole under your foot, try the wide version before going up a size.
The American Podiatric Medical Association describes running shoes in terms of how much stability and cushioning they offer, matched to your arch type (APMA). A store can look at your arch, or you can compare how a stability shoe and a neutral cushioned shoe feel on a short jog.
What should I check in the store?
Fit beats every spec. Try shoes on later in the day, wearing the socks you plan to run in, and use these checks:
- Thumb’s width at the toe. Leave roughly a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
- Heel stays put. Walk and jog a few steps. Your heel should not lift noticeably out of the shoe.
- No pressure points. Nothing should press on the top of your foot, the sides of your toes or the back of your heel.
- Both feet. Try both shoes on. Your two feet may differ slightly in size; fit the larger one.
- A short jog. If the store allows it, jog for a minute on a treadmill or the floor. A minute is the length of every run in week 1, so it is a fair test.
If you plan to run indoors, treadmill vs outside for beginners covers the differences between the two surfaces.
How much should a first pair cost?
Running shoes sit in roughly three price tiers: entry, mid-range and premium. Entry and mid-range shoes cover everything this plan needs. Premium pairs often add lighter foams or plates aimed at faster racing, which matter little at beginner paces such as 13:00 min/mile, where the full week 9 run covers 2.31 miles. Last season’s version of a shoe is often discounted and usually changes little.
What else is worth knowing?
Keep the new pair for running only, so you can tell how it is wearing. Note the date you bought it on your printable plan. Some stores accept returns or exchanges on running shoes that have been worn a few times, so ask about the policy before you buy.
If you have a health condition or haven’t exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before starting.