Everything in the book, including training schedules, techniques, and tips, is put forth purely in terms of minutes spent running, without any goal paces to worry about, mileage to keep track of, or anything to measure other than time spent out on the roads and trails. The book focuses on how to maximize those thirty critical minutes in order to achieve two primary goals: shedding extra pounds and completing a 5K race.

Author Duncan Larkin, a certified Army Master Fitness Trainer, also covers topics like running for new moms, single-parent training, how to prepare to run your first race, race-day tips, how to train while on business travel, and taking it to the next level, running forty-five and sixty minutes a day (10K and half-marathon schedules). In addition to the running-based guidelines, The 30-Minute Runner also offers nutritional advice and core exercises that complement the thirty-minute runs.