The answer is very little. But I still think it’s important that you know how to get a good, quality run. Like any exercise, if you do it the wrong way it can actually be more harmful than anything else. That said, running the right way is one of the best forms of physical fitness. You get the benefit of the fresh air and the stress relief of an open road. That’s why I recommend that you do get out to run and don’t bother with the exercise treadmill. The reason for this is quite simple. If you’re on a treadmill you can stop and give up whenever you like. Outdoors, it’s in your best interest to keep running. So, aside from an open road what else do you need for a great run?
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Cool Weather
You don’t want to run in extreme heat. If you live in an area where the sun is always shining you might consider yourself lucky. But not if you want to run on a regular basis. This could be dangerous because you can get dehydrated rather quickly. To avoid this, try completing your run early in the morning, long before the heat of the day. At the very least, make sure that you are running with a water bottle in your backpack and an energy bar.
Great Sneakers
If you want the best run, you will need a good pair of running shoes. WIthout them, you’re going to run into troubles like blisters, swollen ankles and general pain. Running in bad shoes can also cause the damage of running to be more long term. If you run in poor shoes, you won’t have the support your leg needs. This could cause you to develop arthritis in later years.
Sweatbands
I don’t know about you but I hate feeling sweat dripping down my body when I’m running. If you’re running to your full capacity, you are going to generate quite a lot of sweat. My personal pet peeve is it getting on my face and that’s why I’ve purchased a number of high quality sweatbands. They keep my body clear of sweat so I still feel refreshed even when I’m pushing myself to the limit.
A Brilliant Playlist
I’ve already talked about the positive effects of listening to music and running at the same time. Listening to music could even help regulate your breathing when you’re running, leading to you using less energy. But if you’re running in the open it’s important not to have your music too loud. This could stop you from hearing the world around you and could lead to an accident.
A Good Route
I know there are people out there who have a run where they sprint some of the way and walk the rest. Be aware that if you do this, you’re just kidding yourself. You’re letting your limitations win when you should be pushing through them. If you can’t run the whole route, shorten it until you can. Then you can steadily increase the distance. This is the way to get the most out of a run.
I hope you find this advice useful and look forward to seeing more people out, up on their feet.
