I know what that is like. About 3 years ago I started running. I need to do something, anything, as sitting at a desk all day is not healthy. I did no sport and was mildly overweight and getting heavier. I'm was in my mid 40s and it was kinda getting important to get fit.

Running is cheap and can be done any time I have time. So I started. I had to have music to make it not boring (still do but now mostly listen to podcasts).

I hated running but disliked being unfit more. Started with 2k and walked some of it. I made a big effort to go out and do it whenever I had time, 3 times a week. I can't stress this enough, but how far and fast I ran was not nearly as important as getting in the habit. Even if it was cold or a little wet. Building the habit is the only important thing for the first 6 months. Even on holidays I would bring my shoes and shorts. After a couple of months 5k was easy. I bought a heart rate monitor as a reward for getting to 5k. This was brilliant! I started getting self competitive and learned that running at a speed which kept my heart rate under 140 was the best for training. Slowly over the next two years I was able to do longer and longer distances, lost weight, slept better and found running very enjoyable and a great de-stresser. Time for myself away from the usual pressure of life and it was good for me. I enjoyed discovering the place in a new way. I got to half marathons once a month. I couldn't really believe it. Signed up for a marathon and while training for that was actually hard work and the marathon itself was crazy hard, I managed it under 4h.

Now this isn't a "look at me I'm great" story. The point is someone who couldn't run 5k at all can actually over a modest number of years get to marathon shape and enjoy it. Anyone (who doesn't have some condition) can do it. Running 5k three times a week is exceedingly good for your health and mental well being.

The key for me at least is habit. Getting into the habit is the only truly hard thing. When it's cold, windy, whatever, get out there for at least 5 minutes.

Yep, I built up to 5k right before the pandemic then stopped back when we had no damn idea how it all spread.

Just turned 50 and I built up to doing 5k every other day and I've been doing that consistently now for over 2 months.

Its gotten easier, I'm dragging ass in patches now rather than most of the second half.

Doubt I'm going to start marathoning, I'm going to try to stick to 5k for life more or less. I know eventually I'll want to push up to 8k to 10k occasionally to get my 5k times up. But generally I don't want much more than a 30 minute per day commitment.

And I started in the middle of winter in Seattle, so I've already run through all the wet and cold and windy. Could have used my scuba diving gear a few times...

Haha that feeling of running in awful weather and knowing, "well it can't get worse!" :)

And honestly the marathons and even half marathons are not important, imo. Getting over 10k regularly was very nice though. It's a different mental state at those distances.