HOW TO RUN AND WIN

Running is a great way to stay in shape and have fun -- in fact, it's practically becoming trendy. However, it's important to do it with the proper technique. Want to join the masses, but do it the right way? Learn how to stay strong and prevent injury with this guide.

1

Establish a base level of fitness. If you're starting from zero, shooting out the door and onto your first 10k will leave you frustrated, angry, and so sore you never do it again. In other words, don't bite off more than you can chew. If you start running with no prior exercise habits, you'll probably end up hurting yourself and quitting before you ever really started.

• The simplest thing to do would be to start walking. But it can be anything -- as long as you're getting physically active on a regular basis, your body will be able to handle the impending pavement pounding. Go hiking, swimming, or dancing. If it's fun, all the better!

2

Get a good pair of running shoes. Research says that barefoot running leads to far fewer injuries than running in running shoes, even the fanciest ones.^[1] However, you're probably not going to be running barefoot anywhere, unless it's after chasing a kid or a meatball that rolled away unexpectedly. So look for a shoe that can simulate running barefoot. If you're willing to rock those toe shoes (Vibrams), more power to you, but there are many minimalist running shoes that do not have toe sleeves.

1. 3
   Warm up. The last thing you want are shin splints, a pulled hamstring, or some other injury that can be avoided. Take five or ten minutes before your run to warm up. However, this does not mean stretching. In fact, stretching beforehand can hurt you!
• Instead, warm up your muscles by doing deadlifts, donkey kicks, lunges, and other similar exercises that stretch your muscles, but also get them working. Save the stretching for after the run.
2. 4
   Keep a relaxed stance. Make sure your body is fluid and relaxed, but not hunched over. Try to keep your shoulders and arms loose while keeping your back straight.
• Keep your head and neck relaxed, too. Holding tension there extends down through your spine and the rest of your body, which can actually tire you out well before you would be otherwise.
3. 5
   Breathe steadily and deeply. What matters most is that you breathe with a rhythm that provides a consistent supply of oxygen to your body. Instead of being a chest-breather, be a belly-breather. Make a conscious effort to fill up your stomach, using your diaphragm. You'll get more oxygen and your muscles (heart included) will be less tired.
• Don't worry about whether you are breathing through the nose or the mouth. Some runners find that breathing through their mouth gets them the most oxygen, while others find that breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth works best. Find whatever seems efficient to you.
• If you're running at a medium pace, you should be able to carry on a simple conversation with a running partner without much difficulty. If you cannot, you are running too fast to go very far in most cases. Most people take two steps as they inhale and two steps as they exhale.
4. 6
   Look ahead. Keep your head in a neutral position, not looking up or down. Look approximately 35 feet in front of you if you're running a distance of more than 400 meters. If you're on a treadmill, try not to look down at your feet or the controls too much; it puts tension on your back.
5. 7
   Know how to move your arms. Keep your elbows at around a 90 degree angle, close to your body. Use a 110 degree angle for long-distance (except when you are working up a hill). Swing each arm forward and backward in time with the opposite leg; this provides momentum and prevents your body from twisting.
• The motion should come from the elbows, not your forearms. Be sure you are not swaying your arms diagonally in front of you. You want your arms to be going straight down and back up.
• Do not tense your fists. Imagine that you have two fragile items in each of your hands and if you tense too hard, you will break them.
• Don't let your hands cross the midline of your torso, or you'll create a twisting motion
6. 8
   Keep your hips forward. Act like you've got a rope tied across your waist and someone is pulling you gently forward with it. Avoid side-to-side movement or twisting.