Not born to run? These ideas might help:

Start walking. Get an inexpensive pedometer and count your daily steps—there’s evidence that it can motivate you to walk more. A San Diego State University professor tells the Los Angeles Times, “We don’t know why exactly, but keeping a number, a prompt, in our consciousness on a regular basis is important, and that’s why pedometers are superior to other methods. It’s on you all the time.” Consumerist suggests a few pedometer apps. Shoot for a moderate walking pace of 100 steps per minute—easy to do if you keep time to “Stayin’ Alive”. That’s 1,000 steps in just 10 minutes!

Run for five minutes, then walk back. The next day, run for six minutes. Day 3, add another minute, etc. It worked for Carrie Luger Slayback—she started running this way 30 years ago. Now 66, she’s run a marathon every year for the past 10 years and finished 10th in her age group in the 2009 New York City Marathon. When you’re starting out, just running a block can be a PR, but trust us, it gets easier!