Things everyone should know before begining a running/long distance walking program.....but most don't

My friend Dana is participating in the 3-day walk for breast cancer {{YAY, go Dana!!!}} and we've been going back and forth quite a bit with questions and advice and she really got me thinking when she said, "Someone could make a fortune writing a book called "Starting to Exercise for Dummies...All You Really Need to Know." Well because I like you and I don't want you to have to wait and read a whole book before you start taking care of yourself (because really, do you need another way to put off starting??) I'm going to include the information that I have learned through my 5+ years of distance running.



(1) Buy a good pair of running shoes.



By this I do not mean the most expensive pair of Nikes at footlocker that a pimple faced kid wants to sell you. GO TO A RUNNING STORE TO BE FITTED. I cannot emphasize this enough. You need to have your feet and your running analyzed by someone who has been trained on fitting runners into running shoes. You may also need to buy some insoles to go in said running shoes. They are worth the extra money if you need them. Save yourself the pain and go ahead and buy them.

I am a loyal patron of the Fleet Feet franchise. They have many locations across the US and I have found that they do an excellent job of training their staff and are well worth the trip. I'm also a big fan of their frequent buyer program. I believe it's a $25 gift card for every $25 you spend in store, but this may vary from store to store. There may also be several independent running stores in your area. I encourage you to google running stores in your city and shop around.

Once you've been running for a while and get to know your feet and which shoe you prefer you may choose to start buying your shoes online. My favorite online running store is Road Runner Sports. They have an excellent customer service department and a great selection of the latest shoes on the market.



(2) Buy some good socks.


While this is not nearly as critical as the good shoes, your feet will thank you for investing in some decent socks. My personal favorite are Balegas. They come in a variety of ankle heights and have the most heavenly cushion in the bottom. Yes I know $10 seems like a ridiculous amount of money to pay for a pair of socks, but I *promise* they are worth it. I refuse to run in anything else and John won't wear any others period. They are also sold at Fleet Feet so I generally use my $25 gift certificates from shoe buying to purchase my socks.

And don't bother trying the other socks that "look" like the Balegas. I've tried every kind of sock I've found that looks like a Balega and nothing compares. I might as well have flushed the money I spent on them down the toilet b/c they are not the same and they make me miserable when I run in them.



(3) Buy some running clothes.



You knew this was coming! There's no need to buy the expensive clothes at Fleet Feet or Road Runner, but it is wise to invest in some cotton free, breathable running clothes. My favorite spots for buying these include Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Target, and the Nike Outlet. And if you are a female and have breasts bigger than a B-cup, you are most likely going to have the most success with wearing two bras at once. There are lots of fancy bras out there targeting those of us with larger ta-tas but I've tried lots of them and still find the best solution to be wearing two at once.



(4) Body Glide is your friend.



Yes it seems icky and it doesn't smell very nice but higher miles require body glide to prevent chafing and blisters. I use it every time I plan on going for a run longer than 5 miles. Places you will want to apply it include under the arms (sides), tip of the nose (if cold weather), thighs, behind the knees (especially if you wear a knee brace), and your nipples (men and women, just trust me on this one).



(5) You need to Gu!



Gu, Power Gel, Carb-boom! and the like are sooooo helpful when your miles start getting high. Again I use a general 5 mile or more rule for taking along the Gu. When planning for a 5 miles or more run, I begin my run by Gu-ing ~15 minutes pre-run and then again every 30-45 minutes into the run. Be sure to test the different flavors of Gu during your training so that you will discover which you can tolerate before the race. My personal favorites are Vanilla, Chocolate Outrage, and the apple flavor Carb-boom. Be sure to "chase" your Gu down with a big gulp of water. Oh and the most convenient way I've found for carrying along your Gu if you're not a fan of the fanny pack is to simply safety pin them to the waist of your shorts.



(6) Put down that coffee cup!



When doing any type of long distance training/event hydration is a major concern. Caffeine is dehydrating! Soft drink makers put it in your soda because IT MAKES YOU MORE THIRSTY! Dirty little trick they are pulling isn't it??!!?? Well it's more than a dirty little trick if it derails your training. When you begin an exercise program you should also begin weaning yourself off caffeine. I'm sure we've all experienced the unpleasant effects of caffeine withdrawal and that's the last thing you need to be feeling come race day. In addition to cutting out the caffeine, you also need to make sure that you are taking in adequate amounts of water every day. There is some debate over what is "adequate" but as a general rule I keep a large coffee mug of water at my desk and drink ~ 2 or 3 per day.



(7) Know your water needs during activity.



The basic rule is "Drink to Thirst." It's not wise to drink at every water station along the way during your race due to a potentially lethal condition called hyponatremia. To combat this it is recommended that you follow this hydration table (adapted from the Country Music Marathon Website)

Finish Time Race Pace:Fluid Intake Rate:Fluid Intake Total
< 4 hours:10-12 oz /20 minutes:3.5-4.0 liters
4-5 hours:8 oz /20 minutes:3.0-3.5 liters
> 5 hours:4-6 oz / 20 minutes:2.5- 3.0 liters



(8) Acetaminophen (Tylenol) should be your pain reliever of choice.



NSAIDs such as Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, ect have shown to be dangerous to your kidneys if taken within 24 hrs of a run. For further information on this you can see the Country Music Marathon website.



That is everything that I can think of for the time being. I will likely come back to this and add more to it in the future and then re-post. I hope that it is helpful to some of you who are planning to take up running! And any runners out there feel free to add tips as comments!