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Running five kilometers—no matter your age or fitness level—is possible and achievable, and since this article is intended for beginners, we’ll start from scratch together. First, you should know that running and exercise in general help reduce

In May 2019, I met an American woman who went running twice a week with two Jordanian runners; they would run at 5:30 a.m. before heading to work. I joined them and started running on the street. I loved running at dawn; the atmosphere was quiet, and the morning breeze was refreshing and encouraging for exercise. I learned from them the importance of warm-ups, stretching, and regular training to achieve the desired results.

My name is Sami Qatami. My story with running isn’t a long one—I still consider myself a newcomer to the sport—but it began in a strange way I hadn’t expected, which is why I wanted to share it with others to encourage them to exercise.

What have I learned from running? Can we really learn anything just from running down the street? Can something like this really change our lives or even turn them upside down? Yes, it can—but first, forget about what this person did or what that person wore, and focus on the positives in everything around you. Notice all the beautiful and positive qualities in everyone who’s running around you and with you on your team or in your group, and you’ll learn a lot.

How can I run the first 1.5 kilometers without stopping? If you’ve never run before, it will take you a few weeks to run 1.5 kilometers without stopping, and that’s perfectly normal. Start by running for one minute, then walk for one minute. You can walk for two minutes as well if you feel you need to. There’s an expression in English that goes…

Some people believe that running fast is better than running slowly, but this is a misconception. In this context, there are two types of exercise: aerobic and anaerobic. Anaerobic exercise is emphasized in competitive sports that require high strength and speed, such as the 100- and 200-meter sprints. A simplified explanation of both types will be provided later. However, what we need for running medium and long distances and for running as a lifestyle is aerobic exercise, which involves running at a relaxed pace and low speed—or what we call jogging. Consistently practicing this type of exercise will increase your endurance, speed, and ability to run longer distances without feeling tired over time.

First, please note that this blog is not professional in nature nor based on scientific studies or principles; rather, it is based on my personal experience and observations. It’s also important to note that you should take your health into consideration and not start running until you’re sure you’re in good enough health to do so. Ask yourself, “How do I start running?”

After returning from the marathon in Malta, I began preparing for the Dead Sea to Red Sea (Dead2red), organized by the Amman Road Runners Foundation. The 242-kilometer race is a relay that lasts approximately 24 hours, during which runners can choose to run the distance individually or as part of a team of either five or ten runners. The Running Amman team…

The starting gun went off and the runners took off. If you’ve never participated in a running race before, you might not realize that this initial surge by the front-runners pulls you into trying to keep up with their pace, and that’s exactly what happened to me. Even though I knew I should avoid a strong start, my enthusiasm pushed me to keep up with them. Still, I felt like I was running well and that I…

During the mandatory break I went through, I missed the opportunity to participate in the Ayla Half Marathon, which takes place every December in Aqaba, the Jordanian coastal city overlooking the Red Sea. It bothered me that I couldn’t participate, especially when I saw photos of my friends and teammates from the “Running Amman” team and other running teams taking part in the race…

It is said that failure is the path to success, and it is also said that failure is an opportunity that allows you to start over in a better way and with greater wisdom. After I finished the half-marathon, I realized that my relationship with running was no longer just a passing phase; I knew it was a lasting one, and my wife, my brothers, my family, and my children realized that too. My wife once asked me, in her clever, sly way, “How…

I started to find myself getting more into the sport, and I’ve really started to love it. Contrary to what I used to think as a child—that this sport was meaningless because running has no specific goal, unlike soccer or basketball, for example, where you aim to score a goal that enables your team to win—I’ve found it to be a lot of fun, especially when participating in races. So I decided to participate in