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Summary: Running enthusiast and expert runner talks about simple guidelines to use before you hit the pavement, like warming up and stretching after your run, and staying hydrated, in this free athletic video on running.
Jeannette Stojcevski has been an avid runner for over 15 years. Her track career started in middle school and spans through college. A highly competitive track and field athlete in...read more
"Alright, let's talk about some guidelines. Running is a really simple sport, it doesn't require a lot of equipment. However, there are a few guidelines that you might want to think about before starting your running program. First, you want to make sure that you warm up properly before going out on a run. Muscles need to be warmed up as well as the joints. So I recommend before ever going out on a run is to warm up for a couple of minutes, very slowly. You might want to start walking first and then proceed to go into your run. This will allow your body a chance to warm up properly before exerting yourself a little bit more strenuously. After you run you might want to stretch for a couple of minutes. A lot of runners just want to get in their run and then get dressed and get to their destination. However, it's important that you include a couple of stretches afterwards to keep your muscles flexible because running tightens your muscles, keeps your muscles very tight so please stretch after you run. Also you want to make sure that you are properly hydrated before you go out on your run. It's best to drink about eight ounces of water before your run. If you can, during and after. Try to avoid running in the heat of the day which is generally between ten am and two pm. You also want to stop running if you feel dizzy, light headed, nauseas, please listen to your body. If you feel any of those signs, it's best to just stop running. Runners can be very stubborn, don't be one of those runners. Every runner is different but you might want to consider having a light snack about an hour or two before your run. I don't recommend eating a heavy meal. You want to keep it light, maybe a banana, a piece of fruit, something high in carbohydrates, something that digests easily. OK, so we went over the guidelines, safety, items that you'll need, now it's time to learn how to run."
eHow Article: What to do Before Running