Joe Wicks loves a good run – but he’s still impressed by the England team and their “incredible cardio fitness.” He gives advice on how to boost yours
07:00, 27 Jun 2026
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Joe gets ready to race at his local parkrun
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Joe gets ready to race at his local parkrun
Fitness guru Joe Wicks is in awe of the amount of running footballers do during a game, with top players typically clocking up over six miles in a single 90-minute match.
With the World Cup in full swing, the Chelsea FC fan says: “They must have incredible cardio fitness. They’re jogging and sprinting. Some of the wingers and midfielders would easily do 10k. I wasn’t a great football player, but I was always so fit that I could always chase the ball down and make a nuisance of myself.”
Now Joe, a Brooks Running ambassador, is on a nationwide tour aiming to get the rest of us to get into running by joining parkrun events across the nation.
Joe heads out for a jog
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Joe heads out for a jog
Parkrun, set up in 2004, hold 5k runs on weekend mornings for adults and families. To date four million Brits have taken part.
The Body Coach star, famous for his workouts in the Covid pandemic, says: “I take my kids sometimes and I’ve done various parkruns across the country. I’m a big fan of it.
“There’s so many different levels of fitness, different body shapes and types.
“For the kids who take part, they’ll hopefully have a lifetime of activity because they’ve been introduced to it so young.”
Joe insists that you don’t have to run fast to feel the benefits.
He explains: “I’m a big proponent of the walk-run-walk method. I call it jeffing (after Jeff Galloway, a former US Olympian who created the method for beginners in the 1970s).
Joe limbers up with some stretches
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Joe limbers up with some stretches
“You don’t have to be able to run 5k, but you can walk for 30 seconds, run for 30 seconds - and you are going to cover the distance.
“There this rise in the desire to share your social media stats and your distance and times, but people can be put off by that because they think I’m never going to run a 5k and I’m embarrassed.
“But it’s ok to run the first bit and walk the second half because in the space of eight weeks you are going to be running 5k.
“And you could be a person who potentially ends up running a London Marathon.
“That’s how quick that transition from being sedentary and despising running to loving it can be.”
Joe insists there’s no need for expensive kit.
He adds: “The great thing is about running that you can run in a pair of bashed up trainers and an old pair of shorts.”
But Joe, now 40, does have some tips for novices. He says: “Respect the distance. Don’t think you have to be going out there running 5k from zero.
“Gradually building up is really important and prioritising stretching, but also strength training. If you can get a few sets of squats in during the week or do some lunges these are really going to help with your running.
“Beware being this ultra-competitive runner. What I’ve realised is it’s actually lovely to go out and just have a slow run, where you don’t smash a record, but you just get round.
“That’s foundational fitness where you put the miles in the legs, then if you do want to push a fast 5k in a few months time, you’ve put the foundational work in.”
Joe always starts his day with a healthy breakfast before a run
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Joe always starts his day with a healthy breakfast before a run
When it comes to nutrition he says: “For a 5k parkrun a hearty breakfast is important, like a bowl of porridge or scrambled eggs on toast and loads of water.”
Joe believes running is great to boost mental health. He explains: “If I’ve got a lot on my mind I do feel that I can run that stress out of my body.
“Running is also the most consistent thing you can do with very little time.”
Even Joe admits even he finds getting motivated to work out hard sometimes, but says: “Remind yourself that you are going to feel a bit more energise and less stressed at the end of it, rather than seeing it as a punishment.”
And if you want those footballer’s legs?
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He advises: “Do some heavy squats or heavy dumbbell walking lunges which will really work your quads, hamstrings and glutes.”
Brooks Running and brand ambassador Joe Wicks are partnering with parkrun to visit communities across the UK, helping to make movement more accessible and welcoming for everyone. For more info, visit brooksrunning.com