2025 is almost here, and while the idea of reinventing yourself overnight might sound tempting (thanks to those endless “new year, new you” articles), let’s be real — you’re not going to wake up tomorrow as a brand-new person. But picking up a fresh activity? That’s totally within reach.

To kick off the new year with a new pursuit, Terrain consulted experts in five outdoor activities to gather their top tips for beginners. Here, Ricky Hughes, a marathon runner and founder of STL Run Crew, shares how to make 2025 the year you become a runner. Ready to hit the pavement? Let’s get moving!

What’s the first step if someone wants to become a runner?
Start walking. A lot of people want to run, but they haven’t moved their body in a while. So start walking, get outside, get moving. Then, progress to doing walk/run intervals: walk for a minute, run for a minute, walk for a minute, run for a minute. Do that for a mile. A mile is a good goal. Don’t get hung up on the time it takes, either. Focus on completion rather than time.

What else?
Find a group. It’s so much easier to run with a community than by yourself. And find a group that fits your ability. If you’re new to running, you want an inclusive run club, one that has walkers and runners. Our group is very inclusive. I know Dogtown Running Club is inclusive, too. Keep trying out run clubs until you find one that you feel aligned with.

Any other big tips?
Invest in a good pair of running shoes. I often see beginners running in a shoe that gives them nagging injuries, which will damage their ability to fall in like with running. Beginners don’t need a race shoe or a carbon-plated super shoe. They should start with a daily trainer, a running shoe they can do everything in: easy runs, long runs, little speedy stuff. Asics, On, and Hoka make good daily trainers.

Have you seen beginners become running addicts through STL Run Crew?
Lots. My favorite examples are the people who don’t necessarily look like typical runners, but they come out and they fall in love with running and the community. We’ve had people that have had asthma, and now they run and they don’t need an inhaler. We have tons of folks that run to help with depression and anxiety, which is ultimately why I started running. I was depressed and I started to walk and run, and it changed my life. I hear and see all the time that the mental aspect of running is helping folks power through their day-to-day life.

Ricky Hughes, founder of STL Run Crew. (Ricky Hughes)

What’s one particular success story that comes to mind?
One of our runners, Ernest, joined our group about a year and a half ago. He had never run a mile. Slowly and steadily, he started falling in love with running, falling in love with community, and a year and a half later, he just ran a half marathon. It was so profound. He doesn’t necessarily look like a runner, he’s a little thicker, and I love that.

What do you love most about that?
Sometimes, especially on social media, you only see the small, skinny, elite runners, and you think that that is what a runner is. But we’re all runners. I think we just need to do a better job of empowering and uplifting those that might not look like the stereotypical runner. This will then inspire other people to say, “Hey, I can run, too. If they can run, I can run.”

What are the best places in the St. Louis area for beginners to run?
Parks are great because you only have to focus on running. If you’re running on streets, there’s so much going on with cars, pedestrians, traffic lights, and things like that. So I would strongly suggest running in parks, especially ones that have a loop. Forest Park, Tower Grove Park, places like that.

Anywhere else?
Yeah, your own neighborhood. For me personally, I started by just walking and running around my neighborhood. That’s an easy way to start. You don’t have to drive anywhere or park anywhere. Just grab your shoes and go.

Author: Shawn Donnelly is the managing editor of Terrain.

Top image: Coros.