Running has always been one of those things that I needed some sort of motivation for. Go out on a Saturday run for my health? I’ll pass. Go out on a Saturday run so I can crush all my friends in a FitBit challenge? Now we’re talking.

Early morning runs can be rough, but to get through them it helps to have a little teamwork, camaraderie, and gleeful singing about death. Fortunately, military running cadences are available on all your favourite streaming services.

September is over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop running. Last month in our fitness challenge I asked you to walk or to run, and if you took even a little bit of my advice, you’ve gone out a few times and probably gotten stronger and faster — even if you haven’t realised it yet.

It’s time to run (or walk, or otherwise locomote under your own power) one whole kilometre. Then take a break. And if you still have it in you, do it again. That’s right, we’re doing kilometre repeats this week in the Lifehacker Fitness Challenge.

About five years ago, I came to a major crossroads in my life. While work was going OK - I'd left a lucrative but unenjoyable job because I was so desperately unhappy and decided to freelance - my physical, mental and spiritual health were smashed. And, after messing around with my teenage son during basketball training, I spent the next two weeks walking like I'd been shot in the butt, having given my hamstring a decent twang.

Something had to change. On 6 January 2013 I decided to do something about it. Here's how I became a runner.

There are two main upsides to running: It’s a great and efficient form of exercise, and it’s also a way to get lost in nature and thought for 45 minutes to an hour (or however long your run is) with few to no distractions.

It’s surprisingly easy to get stuck in a rut. Choose the same path two or three times when you start a running or walking habit, and suddenly that path becomes an unquestioned part of your workout. Or maybe you vary your location, but you always do a 5K at “oh my god I’m going to die” pace. Well, stop it.

The only time I was tempted to buy a shirt at a marathon expo, it bore the relatable phrase: “I love running ... except while I’m doing it.”

There's almost never a bad time to start running — or to get back into it, if you’ve taken a break. We just spent a month trying to stand on our heads, so a little plain old jogging is going to feel great by comparison.

If you already use Audible for audiobooks, you now have a new perk in your account: Access to three fitness programs from Aaptiv, with more in the works.

Things weren’t looking promising. Less than two miles into the 42km run, my hastily scoffed pre-race breakfast – one banana, one sachet of Justin’s nut butter and two glasses of milk – was starting to re-appear in my mouth. I was also feeling decidedly delicate in my stomach.

Brilliant.

For most of us, the best running shoe is whichever one feels the best when you run in it. But shoe companies have been claiming that certain shoes save you so much energy that they actually make you faster. Now, we finally have data to answer that question.

Hindsight is 20/20. As I look back on nearly 13 years of competitive racing, I want to change a lot of my past training. I made a lot of mistakes - small decisions that resulted in an injury, a poor race or missing half a year of running.

Running is an exercise well-suited for the lazy. Unlike group classes or club sports teams, which require commitment and planning ahead to reserve (and often pay for) your spot, all you need in order to go for a jog is a body, a pair of running shoes, and a path ahead.

And yet, despite the low barrier-to-entry that is opening my front door and bounding off, I sometimes still need an incentive to get moving.

We all hit a slump near the beginning of a fitness program. Not at the very start, when we’re excited to get going — more like a few weeks in. It may take six weeks to notice more muscle or better endurance, but how do you get through that time without losing hope?

I really hate running. I've always hated running. Every time I decide to give running a try (again), I think about how much I'd rather be biking, lifting heavy things, or doing anything else (except squats). However, when I do go running, I use the free C25k app to try and guide me toward longer and better runs.

Zero exercise is not enough. Going for a walk every day is probably a good thing. And if you're training for a marathon, you'll be on your feet for a couple hours of hard workouts every week. But what is the benchmark for a human being just trying to squeeze enough healthy exercise into their life? Let's break it down.

Dear Lifehacker, I think I pulled a muscle in my leg while running the other day. I can still walk, but sometimes it hurts and my leg feels weak. I think it will heal with time, but what can I do to help the recovery process?

If you want to beat your best race time, it seems to help to spend time in the gym. Alex Hutchinson at Outside reports on recent studies that confirm that runners who do strength training turn in faster times.