I love to run. I love jogging and I love sprinting. However, sometimes it is good to get some new running ideas. In this article I want to take a look at my top running tips to help you get the most out of your running.

Feel free to leave a comment at the end and share your own favorite running tips.

27 of My Favorite Running Tips

1. Warm up
Over the years I have paid the price several times for running out the door without warming up. It is especially important to warm up if you are doing sprinting. A few stretches, light jogs and sprints and some squats is a good way to warm up.

2. Start slow
If you are new to running you should start out slow and build up over time. Don’t try to go too fast in a short space of time because your muscles will not be flexible enough. Take your time.

3. Always push harder
Every time you go for a run you should increase the work you do. This could be the length of time you run for, the distance you travel or the intensity of your sprint. Progression is important and it is vital to do it every time you workout so that you don’t get stuck in a rut.

4. Get good shoes
A good pair of running shoes will become like your best friend if you spend a lot of time running. Bad shoes can damage your feet, ankles and back and leave you feeling pretty sorry for yourself. Here are my favorite running shoes.

Good shoes should support your ankles so that you don’t roll them, have a tough heel as well as tight balance on the sides. Cross trainers are usually the best shoe for people who read this blog.

5. Run outside
Sometimes we get tempted to just run on the treadmill at the gym. However, the benefits of being outside in the sun are huge. Vitamin D that comes from being out in the sun can help fight depression and makes the run all the more enjoyable.

6. Run where the air is clean
When you run you start to breathe deeply. Your lungs expand and contract and you take in a lot of air. It is important that the air is clean. If it is full of pollution you will be adding toxins to your body that you really do not need. Try to go to a park, beach or somewhere where the air is a bit cleaner.

7. Run hills
A hill sprint is one of the best ways to lose fat and boost your fitness levels. It is harder than almost any other exercise and will really push your personal drive. I try to run a hill (a big one!) at least once a fortnight to make sure I am not getting too soft. Check out this other article on hill sprints.

8. Breathe properly
Breathing when you exercise is important. When we lift weights we all know how to breathe and we take it seriously. However, how many of you pay attention to how you breathe when you run?

If you aren’t it is time you started. Good breathing can make your run more enjoyable and allow you to go harder and further. When running you should try to breathe through your nose. This warms the air up and allows you to take in oxygen a lot deeper.

9. Combat a stitch with breathing
Similar to number eight it is important to know how to combat a stitch with your breath. If you get a stitch simply breathe in and out on the corresponding step. For example, if you have a stitch down your right side you should breathe in when your right foot hits the ground and then breathe out again when your right foot hits the ground. This method was taught to me by my soccer coach in high school and has been a very valuable tool.

10. Get good music
Sometimes it is nice to run with a bit of motivating music. You can stick some upbeat tunes on your iPod and be transformed into a running machine. Some of my favorite running tunes include:

• Nas
• Vivaldi (try a song called Winter it will blow you away)
• NERD
• John Mayer
• Old school rap (Public Enemy, Tupac, DITC)

11. Don’t eat too close to a run
If you have a meal right before you go for a run you are bound to run into some problems. This is when you get a stitch or stomach ache and have to cut your run short.

12. Eat about 45 minutes before
It is a good idea to have a little energy snack about 45 minutes before your run. Something with moderate carbs and some protein is the best bet. I like to have a protein shake at about 4pm and then go for my run about half past four. A light snack makes all the difference.

13. Stop and stretch
I know a lot of professionals will tell you that stretching during a run is not a good idea. However, I find if I stop and have a stretch when my muscles feel tight I can avoid the cramping feeling that sometimes creeps up. Feel free to stop and stretch out those tight muscles so you can run a little more comfortably.

14. Run with a friend
Running with a friend is a great way to get fit as well as catch up with someone that you normally wouldn’t have a lot of time to see. The other thing about working out with a friend is that you end up pushing each other and your fitness and endurance levels will grow faster than before.

15. Run in context
Sometimes running can be a bit boring. If you have been running for a few years you will no doubt be a little tired of the same old track. This is why running in the context of a new sport is a great idea. Indoor soccer makes you run like a mad man. Squash, football, tennis… all of these things involve running but they have another goal above running. This can make it a little more interesting and often times a lot more intense.

16. Stop if there is pain
If you feel any pain while you are running you should stop straight away. If you push on a run through your injuries or health problems you will end up regretting it.

Here is a story for you. In high school I was playing state soccer and I was training really hard to make sure my presence on the team was beneficial. It was all going well. Game day came and in the first ten minutes I got a knee in my thigh and a pretty serious corked injury. I pushed on because I wanted to stay on the field and within five minutes my leg had swollen beyond belief and I was out for a month. The doctor said if I had come off and iced it right away it might have only been a few days.

17. Hydrate before and after
Quite often I see people at the office go for a run and then head back to work without re-hydrating themselves. This leads to tiredness, headaches and slow recovery rate. Make sure you are drinking a good amount of water before and wafter your run.

18. Get up early
The best time for a run is in the early morning. There is something extremely satisfying about running before the sun gets up; hoodie, track pants and the cold air flowing through your lungs. It is a wonderful way to start your day and a very good life habit to develop. Take a look at this article on how to get up early for exercise.

19. Go sand and shallow water running
About two hours from my house there is a beach called Port Willunga. This beach is the most pristine I have ever seen. You can swim out to the depth of your head and still see the ocean floor because the water is so clean. You can open your eyes under water and your eyes don’t sting because there is no pollution and low salt. And the sand is white and fluffy.

This summer I discovered the benefits of sand and shallow water running at the beach. The idea is to do some sprints in the sand for a few minutes and then go out into about knee-height water and do some more sprints. The sand running is hard on your calf muscles and the shallow water running forces you to lift your knees out of the water making your abs and back do a lot more work. It really is a great change to the normal run!

20. Carry a weighted backpack
I have done this once or twice in my life but I do not endorse it because I do not know whether it is good for your back or not. However, my step dad introduced me to a man from New Zealand who used to go for a run every morning with a 40 kilogram backpack on his back. This guy was built like a brick sh$t house and was strong as an Ox. I asked him what his weights routine was and he looked at me funny and said: “Nope… I just run with a backpack.”

21. Check your posture
When I was about 18 my father pointed out to me that I ran like a hunchback (he is a direct man!). I slowly became aware of my own posture and figured out that it was because of my boxing training - I liked to run in a boxing style. I decided to correct this posture by lifting my chest up and keeping my elbows square at my side. To my surprise this simple change allowed me to take in more air, reduce the amount of fatigue in my back and even run faster. It proved to me once again that technique is the single most important thing in exercise.

22. Don’t run too much
In high school I ran for no less than four hours a day, everyday. I was playing serious soccer and I ran at training as well as before and after school in order to get ahead. I also trained kung fu and boxing which also involved a lot of roadwork. After about a year my knees were sore as hell and I now have injuries that I am quite sure came from too much exercise. Make sure you are not running too much - it can be quite a high impact exercise.

23. Run in the rain

photo: moodeous

One of the most refreshing things you can do is go for a run when it is raining. The other day I was running around my local inner city river and it began to rain. At first I struggled to find shelter sprinting around like a loony. In the end I realized that I was as wet as I was going to get and just kept going. It was a very relaxing and revitalizing experience which I now seek to do again!

24. Check your running surface
Some people have a lot of problems when they run on the hard road. It is often better to run in a park where there is soft dirt or grass. However, the most injuries come from uneven surfaces where there is rocks, tree roots and twigs under your feet. Try to find a smooth and even place to do your running.

25. Explore your local area
Running is a great way to see more of your local area. I love to go running in the local reserve and try to take a different trail every time I go. This allows me to see new things - animals, houses, plants, trees, waterfalls and so on. It is a great way to de-stress.

26. Step up the intensity for fat loss
Quite often trainers tell you that the best way to lose fat is to run for an hour at a low intensity every single day. I don’t like it. I have experienced much better results from high intensity running like sprinting and hill runs. Take a look at this post on losing fat fast.

27. Learn to enjoy running
Sometimes running becomes a task. Some people think running is like an enemy that they overcome. This is a big mistake. It is much better to think of running as a friend. Sure it is hard sometimes but it also does you a lot of good. Try to think of the positive elements instead of focusing on the bad. This will make running a much more enjoyable experience.

Conclusion on my running tips

These are some of my favorite tips for one of my favorite exercises. I would love to hear your own running tips so drop us a comment and let us know.

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