Five Things Runners Must Do

Are you a new runner and need to know how to train properly?  Or have you just forgotten some small details which help every runner?  Here are five things runners must do in order to remain healthy.

1.  Sleep enough.  Most people need six to eight hours.  When you increase your mileage, you need more.  Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up-time-even on the weekends. 

2.  Eat right.  Choose lean protein, produce, and whole grains most of the time.  Almonds, oranges, and low-fat Greek yogurt make great pre-or post-run snacks.

3.  Recover.  This is really important.  Prevent injury and burnout by scheduling one to three days each week to cross-train, work on flexibility, or just rest.  Yoga is a great way and Wi-Fit is another fun way to recover.  I just bought a Wi-Fit and I love everything that I can do with it in order to cross-train and have fun. 

4.  Get strong.  To bring more power to your runs, do body-weight exercises two or three times a week.  You can check out these links:  runnersworld.com/ironstrength or  http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/womens-training/apps/nike-training-club.  I have the ntc app and I use it at least once a week.  You can get several different versions depending on how you wish to get and stay strong.

5.  Enjoy it.  If you hate running alone, join a club.  If you're lost without a goal, sign up for a race.  If you're still not having fun, take a week or two off-absence makes the legs grow fonder.  Always remember that running is fun and if you are not enjoying it, you won't run!