by Matt Bender

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: November 19, 2009

Before tying your shoelaces and sprinting out the door, you can best prepare by keeping these few things in mind.

Make sure the shoes you're going to wear provide good support. Many runners don't realize that comfortable shoes aren't necessarily good for running. Shoes should be replaced about every one thousand miles.

Not all shoes are created equal. Each person has their own running style and unique footprint. Some people have high arches, while some people run flat-footed. Despite the misconception that any running shoes will help, if the shoe isn't tailored to a person's foot, injury may result. If you've had problems running in the past, try looking up a running store and asking the employees to evaluate your running style. Based on your running, they can recommend a properly-tailored shoe for your foot.

Before you run, tie your shoe laces loosely. Many runners don't realize their feet swell during a run. By having loosely-tied laces, the foot can swell comfortably without negatively affecting the runner.

Stretching should be performed both before and after the run. Runners should warm up their muscles before running by performing dynamic stretches such a jumping jacks or lunges. Static stretching-when you hold a body part in the same position for a short time-should be used after running to reduce the amounts of lactic acid in the body.

The decision not to stretch can result in sore or pulled muscles. In combination with bad shoes, not stretching can result in shin splints, a painful condition where the muscle in the shin expands and creates high levels of pressure.

Make sure to replenish electrolytes and water after running. Eating a banana or drinking Gatorade-or other sports drinks-replenishes the body's energy, and in combination with water, prevents dehydration. Needless to say, make sure to drink plenty of water before running as well.

Starting out slow is the best approach to increasing workout load. If you haven't run in a while, a two or three-mile run is a good distance to start. By slowly increasing the running distance, the body can heal itself and prepare for longer runs.

Running for over thirty minutes creates new capillaries within the body, and helps with blood circulation. Having these new capillaries makes it easier for the body to get the required oxygen it needs.

So, before you start running, take these facts into consideration and you will have a far better running experience.

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