A friend in the office has started running for exercise, and I’ve been giving him a few things to think about here and there.  Here are a few of them.

1. Get fitted for good running shoes at an actual running shoe store.

If the store ends in “Mart,” “Locker,” “Warehouse,” “Carnival” or something similar, then you shouldn’t buy running shoes there. Everyone’s feet are different, and a pro at your local running store will be able to make sense of yours. They’ll look at how your feet arch and how they move on the floor. Then they’ll bring you out three or four, maybe even as many as six or seven different pairs of shoes to try on to get just the right fit for your foot type.

2. Hydrate.

Drink plenty of fluids. You should be doing this anyway. If you’re properly hydrated, your pee will be clear when you go to the bathroom. Is it yellow? Drink some more. Don’t go crazy drinking more water than you need though. You can make yourself sick, pass out, or even die from TOO much water. During a long run though, you should be replenishing throughout. So, carry your water with you. Get a water belt that you can clip your bottle (or bottles too). Carrying it in your hand during a run gets old, and can even fatigue you quicker.

3. Get an iPod.

Build a playlist. Have a song for when you’re going too fast to slow you down, and a song for when you’re going too slow to speed you up. Also, have a song in there for when you’re hitting the wall. I also have a “finale song” for when I’m at the end of a workout.

4. Lubricate.

This stuff works wonders. It’s similar to an antipersperant stick, but instead of keeping you dry, it lubes your skin so that when the skin between your legs or on your arms rubs against your shirt or shorts, you don’t chafe at all. I wear it when I expect to be walking a lot, like at a theme park or something. It works wonders.

5. Find a friend. Talk.

Running with a friend makes the time (and miles) fly by. You can motivate each other and keep the other going. Remember: you shouldn’t be training so hard that you can’t carry on a conversation when you’re running. If you’re huffing and puffing, slow it down.

6. Keep a log.

Write down the date, time, mileage, time-elapsed, route, and any other notes you think you might like to record in a journal. Even an Excel spreadsheet would work to keep everything organized. After a few weeks, you’ll enjoy looking back through your log to see how far you’ve progressed.

7. Where’s the fire?

Why are you running so fast? Are you trying to win something? Unless you’re training to run competitively, you’re likely just running for exercise and good health. Run to run. Don’t run to win. Slow it down. You’re going to get as much out of your workout, believe me. Your body will let you know if and when it’s ready for you to pick up the pace. Find a steady pace that doesn’t wear your butt out and stick with it. If you’re distance/endurance training, you should be running - walking - running anyway.

8. Set a goal.

Are you running to lose weight? Increase your distance? Increase your stamina? Lower your time? Know your goal. It’s another motivator on your side when you’re out on the trail and the wall is fast approaching.

9. If it hurts, stop.

C’mon, genius. If that knee starts to hurt, stop running. If you feel sick, stop running. If you feel chest pain, stop running (and call for help). You should be running to feel better, not to hurt yourself. That’s real pain you’re feeling–stop and take care of it. The road will still be out there waiting for you when you’ve healed and come to your senses.

10. Ice it down.

Ice down those joints (particularly knees) after each run. 20 minutes with the ice, 20 minutes off, then 20 minutes back on. Even if you’re not sore, ice doesn’t hurt anything, and it’ll be a good preventive measure just in case.

11. How about a little Ibuprofen?

The hardcore marathoners will tell you that it’s dangerous to take Ibuprofen before a run. If you’re an elite runner, it can screw with your hydration and be a little dangerous. If you’re planning to go run 4 or 5 miles, 800 mg of Ibuprofen might help alleviate some knee inflammation and pain. It’s also helped my knee turnaround time between runs. Still, if you’re uncertain, ask your doctor and/or coach.

12. Eat a good breakfast.

Why aren’t you doing this anyway, slacker?

13. Get a decent watch with intervals.

You should have a watch that will let you time not only your running elapsed time, but also intervals, so that you can run-walk-run-walk (repeat) effectively. Here’s mine. You ARE running and walking, right? Read Marathon by Jeff Galloway, if not.

14. Pain isn’t really in your head. Motivation is though.

Don’t think that the pain you’re feeling is “in your head.” It’s really in your knees. Or your back. Or your shins. Or your ankles. Or your heel. Stop if you have to. But are you stopping because you think you’ve had enough, or because it hurts. Motivation lives in your head. That’s where 90% of the run takes place. Putting one foot in front of the other is the easy part. The hard part is thinking about it.

15. Run with purpose.

Dedicate your run to something or someone. Remind yourself of the purpose occasionally (even when you’re not running). When we do things with purpose, we tend to finish them.