Runna revamps beginner plans with flexible guidance

Runna has overhauled two beginner-focused training programmes, relaunching its New to Running and Return to Running plans for users starting from scratch or coming back after time away.

The health and fitness app, part of the Strava brand, says nearly half of its users identify as new or beginner runners. The updated plans target that group with a refreshed structure and new in-app guidance.

Beginner focus

The relaunch includes two pathways. New to Running is for people who have not run before. Return to Running is for people who have run previously but have taken a break.

Both plans are designed by running coaches and emphasise gradual progression and flexible scheduling. Runna is positioning the changes around common reasons beginners stop training, including low confidence, inconsistent motivation, and concerns about injury.

Plan lengths vary by pathway: New to Running runs from six to 16 weeks, while Return to Running runs from four to 16 weeks.

Runna says the range gives beginners more time to build a routine and offers more experienced runners a shorter route back to running a 5K.

Gentle progression

The New to Running programme starts with short, time-based walk-run sessions and only moves to distance-based training when the runner is ready. The app provides prompts and guidance as users progress through the plan.

Return to Running also uses staged progression, with a schedule designed to accommodate different starting points. Users who have maintained some fitness can choose a shorter plan, while those returning after a longer period away can opt for more weeks.

Flexibility is central to the updated design. Missing a workout does not mean restarting the programme; users can adjust their schedule and extend the plan.

In-app tools

Alongside the plan updates, Runna has introduced new features focused on guidance and consistency.

Workouts now include personalised workout briefings, which provide guidance before a session and highlight what to focus on during the run. Runna says the briefings are tailored to each customer, with no two customers receiving the same briefing.

The app has also introduced "Not Feeling 100%", which lets runners adjust training when they are unwell, managing an ache, or dealing with a busy week. Users can then return to their plan without losing their place.

Another feature, Mileage Insights, is set to roll out to Runna's race and general fitness plans. It checks how closely a runner follows their schedule and recommends mileage adjustments when needed. Runna says it predicts a more sustainable workload and is designed to support safe progression.

Plan recaps

Runna is also preparing "Plan Replay", due to launch in early February. The tool provides an interactive recap at the end of a training plan, presenting a narrative-style review of a customer's progress.

The updates reflect a focus on onboarding and retention in a crowded training-app market, where competitors often differentiate through structured plans, coaching content, and integrations with wearables and broader fitness platforms. Runna's approach emphasises flexibility and in-app adaptation rather than a fixed schedule.

Runna says the new plans reflect the realities of training around work, illness, and other disruptions that can break habits for new runners, while also aiming to reduce the perceived risk of starting too fast.

"With nearly half of Runna users identifying as new or beginner runners, Runna is relaunching its 'New to Running' and 'Return to Running' plans-coach-built programmes designed to help people start running for the first time, or confidently return after time away, whatever their starting point," Runna said.