So I’ll be honest, I am not the biggest fan of running, that is, when I haven’t been active for a long time.  These periods of inactivity, for many people, can be due to hundreds of different things, between school, work, or even just some crazy changes in life like moving or having kids, something like running can easily be thrown out the door.   

That being said, taking up running, whether it’s again or for the first time, can be a very daunting task.  At first glance that sounds a little ridiculous, I mean, what more is there to running than just actually getting out there and running?  Well, unfortunately it’s not quite that simple.  There are a lot of factors that go into developing a regular habit of running, and also a lot of problems.

First and foremost, one of the biggest factors that needs to be consider to make a consistent exercise out of running is the shoes.  Now, this can be a little controversial to some people because in all honesty, buying running shoes can be a little costly.  Buying a decent pair of running shoes can run you anywhere from $70 – $100.  In this case, it may be easier to think about it as an investment, rather than a purchase.  A good pair of running shoes will not only make you look like you know what you’re doing, but they will also make the run a lot more comfortable considering each of have different ways of running and different types of padding that work the best for out style and feet.

Next, you may want to consider what you are wearing.  For many of us, a simple t-shirt and shorts will suffice, but depending on how much you are willing to spend, you can get into some pretty fancy running gear.  You may even want to consider investing in some clothes that wick sweat off your skin.

The next step is to set some goals.  Granted the first time you go running you are probably going to learn your limits, and if you are like me, you will see that you can get pretty tired pretty quickly. That’s why it is so vitally important for you to set some goals to achieve.  For me, I made an effort to run faster a certain amount of miles each day, or sometimes I will just go out to see how far I can run before I run out of time and energy.  The important is that you make sure that you are keeping track of the progress.

Finally, running is not easy, and you are going to have to deal with all the problems that runners deal with like shin splints and side stitches.  Most of it comes down to making sure that you stretch beforehand and that your running and your eating are not too close together.  It’s best, and in fact, recommended that you have at least 2-4 hours between eating a big meal and running.  I can’t imagine, however, anyone being so excited to run that they can’t wait at least a couple hours before they run again.

In conclusion, running is not an easy thing to take up, but once you figure out all the little details, it becomes much easier to manage.  So, these are just a few things to consider when starting, or restarting, running.  Hope it helps!

 

Carlos Morgan is a 22 year old Communications Major hoping to get into Law School one day and make a difference. If you feel you want to know more, check out his Google+