If you’re unable to outrun regular zombies you’re either running through bushes or other difficult terrain, in pain, or overencumbered, you need to figure out which of these is happening and address it.
Also particularly when starting out, you should rarely need to run from zombies, the key is not to engage with them unless you know you can win, ideally one-on-one. This is especially important for special zombies like zombie dogs, since they CAN outrun you unless you’re exceptionallly fast.
Basically leave safe mode on (toggled with ‘!’) so it’ll alert you when hostile monsters are in sight, and move very carefully any time you have to toggle safe mode off to move.
Ideally avoid combat entirely until you have some decent equipment, and more ideally have built up a little bit of skill.
When you do have to fight, make sure to carefully approach a group of monsters just until one or two start moving toward you, then back off to a safe distance from the main group before dealing with them.
Also bushes, windowframes, and other difficult terrain are your friends, lead zombies onto them, which will slow them down, even while they’re attacking you.
Finally, most zombies are slower than you, for regular ones, you can kite them by waiting for them to move next to you, hitting them once, then backing off, repeat until dead.
