Running is one of the most effective ways to get and stay in shape. You have to spend considerably more time to get the same cardiovascular results with many other forms of training. It’s a very flexible form of training and can be done almost anywhere and anytime. You can run on your own, but also with friends. And last but not least it is a fun way to exercise – at least once you are in shape. Here are a few tips for running that will help you succeed.

Running Tips for Beginners

• Buy the right running shoes – Good running shoes are essential for success when you start running. You land on them with the entire weight of your body an incredible amount of times every time you go for a run. And bad running shoes are one of the most common causes of injury – typically around the knee and lower leg. So before you do any running go to a specialized store where they film you while running and have experts help you get the right shoes.

• Start slow – Another common cause of injury beginners suffer from is running too much in the beginning. When you start running the body has to get used to the new kind of stress on the bones, joints and sinews. So go easy on yourself in the beginning and increase the amount of training slowly. And in case it starts to hurt anywhere else than the muscles take a break until it passes. Too many people injure their knee for a life time by ignoring the signals from the body.

Long Distance Running Tips / Marathon Running Tips

• Run a lot – The best way to prepare for a long distance run like a marathon is to run a lot before the competition. There are many different philosophies about the best way to prepare for a long distance run and some training schedules are obviously more effective than others, but as long as you run a lot of miles/kilometers before the competition you will be in a pretty good position to perform well. You become good at what you train – it’s really that simple.

• Increase the total amount of training slowly – A good rule of thumb is to increase the total running distance per week with no more than 5%. Rapidly increasing the amount of training is another common cause of injury. And combined with the tip above it becomes obvious that preparing for long distance runs takes time and careful planning and preparation, but if you do take the time and put in the effort it will be reflected in the quality of your results.

Running Tips to Lose Weight

• Sign up for a running competition – If you sign up for a competition 6 months from now you will be much more likely to keep training after the initial boost of inspiration fades. An overall weight loss goal of loosing x amount of pounds is usually too vague to keep you motivated without sub goals. Having measurable sub goals are a good way to keep you motivated because they will give you little victories along the way and before you know it the overall goal will be accomplished as well.

• Find peers – Running is a great way to get exercise if you actually get out and run consistently. And motivating yourself to run when you don’t feel like it and the weather is bad can be hard. So find some friends and make appointments with them about training. If you know you have to run with your buddies every Tuesday and Friday you might not even have to take the internal argument about whether you really should run today or not. Perhaps you already have friends with similar goals, but if not you can always find a local running club or start your own at meetup.com