Top 10

Lessons running has taught me so far, most learned the hard way:

10. Start slow.
When you first start running, you will probably be surprised how far you can go if you push yourself. Don't be fooled. You will pay later with sore muscles and strained joints. Build mileage slowly to give your legs a chance to catch up. Several training schedules are published online to give you an idea of how to get started. I wish I had seen those before it was too late!

9. Don't pinch pennies.
Running is a cheap hobby; it seems like all you really need is yourself. But if you want to do it safely and comfortably, you'll need to invest in a few things...and not just shoes (see below). Moisture-wicking clothes, sun protection, hydration systems, seamless socks all help you stick with it. I was reluctant to make running-related purchases initially for fear that my enthusiasm would wane and I'd be left with a lot of running paraphernalia in my closet gathering dust. Eventually, I broke down and find that I am a much happier, healthier runner now that I am appropriately outfitted. I wish I had invested sooner.

8. Be kind to your feet.
I was getting a pedicure the other day and got a huge complement: "Your feet don't look like a runner's." What she meant was that I didn't have blisters or callouses or bruised/missing toenails. Not an easy feat (no pun intended). You need to keep your toenails short if you want them to stay on your feet, but beyond that, footwear is key. Callouses and blisters are signs that your shoes aren't fitting well (toenail issues can be from improperly fitting shoes as well). Go to a running store and get your shoes fit by a pro. In my case, he measured my feet, evaluated my arch both seated and standing, and then had me run around the block in each pair of shoes I tried before settling on the right pair. Running shoes wear out after about 500 miles; you are doing yourself a disservice to milk more time out of them. Good shoes will help not only your feet but also your ankles, knees, and back. They might be the most expensive shoes in your closet, but they're also the most important shoes in your closet.

7. Be prepared.
I was a Girl Scout for 12 years, so I should have learned that lesson already. But just the other day, laziness got the best of me, and I decided to leave my Camelbak at home when I headed out for a "short" run on an unfamiliar trail. One missed turn later, my run ended up lasting 10 miles. Having no water on a run like that was stupid and dangerous. The bottom line is that if you're headed out into unknown territory, make sure you've got everything you might need in case you get into trouble--water, cell phone, etc.

6. Consistency is key...and so is forgiveness.
As a physician, I see between 20 and 30 patients a day, 4 days a week, so I am exposed to a lot of germs...and as a result get a lot of colds. My body tells me when I need a few rest days to recover from a bug, and I do a good job of listening. But once I feel better, I get so anxious about the time I've missed from training that I try to start up right where I left off. That invariably results in injuries. Time off is crucial when you're sick, but the consistency is what keeps you in shape. Give yourself a chance to build back up. You'll get to your goals faster that way since you won't have to take more time off to rest a new injury.

5. RICE is your friend.
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation...the only thing I remember about orthopedics from med school. Use them all liberally. After a run, especially a long one, be sure to ice down sore muscles and joints. Braces and bandages are great to stabilize joint strains; I'm on my feet a lot throughout the day, and wearing a brace feels great when my knee is sore. I know I look funny when I walk with it, but there is a huge difference between days when I wear it a lot and days when I leave it at home.

4. Cool down and stretch.
A few weeks ago, I met some friends for a leisurely lunch very shortly after completing a 14 mile run. Sitting for an hour in a restaurant was exactly the worst thing I could have done, and the pain I experienced when trying to mobilize my seized-up muscles was ten times any pain I felt during the run. After a long run, keep moving and stretching; don't stay in one position for too long.

3. Endurance running is not a weight-loss plan.
If you want to run, you have to provide yourself with fuel, so don't be surprised when your stomach becomes a bottomless pit. This is not a time to mess with weight-loss diets (though it's not a time to overindulge in junk food either). Even if you don't lose weight, you will be burning fat and gaining muscle, and your silhouette will benefit from your new tone. In fact, though I haven't lost a pound, I have had to have all of my pants taken in, and I hear lots of compliments about how great and "different" I look. Only downside, ladies: your boobs will shrink.

2. Be realistic.
When registering for a race, don't use your 5K pace to project your 20K time. In races that use a corral system, runners who underestimate their finishing time become a hazard for the faster runners trying to pass them. Be considerate to your fellow runners.

1. Value life.
Just a few hundred feet from the finish line of my first half marathon, I ran past a group of paramedics performing CPR on a runner who had collapsed. He was 35. I learned later that the resuscitation was unsuccessful. I am hoping that he died doing something he loved. None of us knows if we have one of those unfortunate "underlying heart conditions." Remember to live each day to its fullest and be kind yourself and others.