Many people will begin their running career on the wrong foot. They want to work off calories and lose weight for the Summer. What they don't realize is that running is a very high impact sport, and actually may do more harm than good (link below).  If you still want to incorporate running into your exercise regimen, make sure to do it safely, and for the right reasons. It's ok to want to lose unwanted body fat, but my goal here is to get you to focus on what it takes to lose the body fat rather than the body fat itself. Fitness is the key to a healthy, sustainable weight loss journey. So, now that you're FIT focused rather than FAT focused, determine what you want long-term with your running career. Do you want to improve your speed overtime? Do you want to compete against other runners? Do you want to build up your running endurance? Do you just want to run recreationally at a comfortable, fun pace to keep you healthy and in decent shape? Get yourself a plan to keep you on track toward reaching your goals. Research online how to set yourself up with a long-term schedule that is sustainable for you and will help you reach and keep your healthy, fit running body. And of course, follow the rest of my tips below. 

A quick little 5 minute rebounding routine directly before your run will literally make all the difference with how your muscles, joints and lungs respond to your outdoor run. Health bounce, lung breaths, ankle rolls, calf pumps, hip twists, kicking in all directions, quad stretching and some jogging intervals will have you primed and prepped for anywhere from a quick outdoor run to a marathon. Priming our joints and running muscles is crucial for longevity in the sport. Check out my quick tutorial here. 

Every single pair of feet are different. Even if your favorite Instagrammer or YouTuber just bought the latest Nike running shoe, that does not mean you should too. Running in a pair of shoes that feel like clouds on your feet will keep your joints more protected, and you will stay happy during your entire running career. Search online to find a running shoe store near you that does in-store shoe fittings. If you don't have one close by, consider rebounding instead, or getting fitted for a pair of running shoes next time you're in town. Running in the wrong shoes could end your running career before it even begins.

I just bought my very first Apple Watch, so I'm slightly biased, but I'm so happy I have one. Data translates to feeling accomplished, and feeling accomplished leads to taking our running career seriously. Not having an Apple Watch or a Fitbit to track the distance in our runs is totally okay, but if we have long-term goals we want to reach with our running career, tracking distance is majorly helpful. Just look into them and see if you will benefit from having one. If you're determined to run, and be good at it, keep an open mind.

5 minutes is not a lot to ask. Neither is 10, but 5 will be enough to set you up for success. Wake up, sip some water, put on your most comfortable walking shoes (or your running shoes fitted specifically for your feet), dress appropriately, and go walk around the block. Getting some fresh air and feeling the pavement beneath your feet will help get you in the running mood. Even if you don't plan on running every day (which I do not recommend), get your walk in no matter what. On running days, let this walk be your opportunity to wake up your lungs (more on this in tip #8), and help you determine your energy levels for your run. On non-running days, let this be an excuse to boost the metabolism and get some extra steps in. Getting outside and moving our bodies is always a great start to the day. 

This is the very best tip of all my tips on running smarter. If you follow this one tip only, you will have a very successful running career. Rebounding is by far the best joint stretching and strengthening tool on the market. Strong joints and flexible muscles are essential for running outside on the pavement. The best way to go about transitioning from rebounding to running is to always do both no matter what. Start with all rebound running, and then as time goes on, add some outdoor running minutes to the end of your rebound running workouts. Depending on how this feels for you, you may find that half rebound running and half pavement running for all of your run workouts is the perfect blend of running training. If you are so ambitious, you may choose to work your rebounding minutes down, and work your outdoor minutes up. As long as you start with (at the very least) 5 minutes of rebound running before pavement running, you will be better primed for successful outdoor running.  

Most of us can scrounge up something to wear whether we're walking or running outside, but having comfortable attire can give us that extra incentive to be more consistent with our running training. Weather appropriate attire is the first step to take in being prepared. Research online weather appropriate clothes for your climate, and see if there is an athletics store near you that can help you get a wardrobe that will have you ready to go no matter what mother nature decides to bring you that day. Make sure the clothes you buy and wear are not too tight and not too loose, so you feel your absolute best. One last tip for apple and pear shaped women: Apple shapes-go for a comfortable fitting bodysuit underneath your pants/short/sweatshirts/t-shirts. This will keep you all tucked in for extra confidence and less unnecessary stomach movement. Pear shapes-go for long shorts or comfy pants to boost your confidence and keep the thighs tamed. Don't force yourself to wear what your favorite social media stars are wearing. Wear what fits and flatters your body type, so you can hit the ground running, and keep running until you reach your goals. 

It is equally important to rebounder after outdoor running as it is to rebound before outdoor running. This will help us flush lactic acid build up, increase blood flow to the worked muscles and joints, and stretch our quads, calves, hips, hamstrings, knees and ankles for faster recovery. Check out my quick tutorial here.

Hanging from a pull-up bar allows us to deeply twist and stretch our back, hips, knees and ankles while taking weight off of our lower body. This is very important for maintaining a healthy foundation for outdoor running. Having the pull-up bar in a doorway is perfect because it's low enough to the ground to be able to stretch out the legs, back, hips and ankles while touching the floor. This way you can have full control of how deep you stretch while you're twisting, hanging and breathing. Having a wall close by to brace your feet against can also help deepen certain stretches. Experiment with rolling the ankles around, splitting the legs apart side to side and front to back, and hanging from different placements from the pull-up bar. I personally like hanging with my palms facing inward. My favorite pull-up bar (pictured here) has this option. Make sure your pull-up bar has this option as well because I think this will feel best for you too.  

Have you ever walked around the house maintaining good posture for more than a few seconds at a time? It takes daily strength and practice. Having a goal to practice my pelvic floor squeezing throughout the day has been an excellent way for me to not only benefit from strengthening my pelvic floor, but also to help remind me to stand up straighter. Squeezing the pelvic floor helps to bring the belly button back toward the spine, improving core strength, bladder control, and excellent posture. If we want to have a successful running career, we need to be on top of our posture game as much as possible. 

Since the beginning of my outdoor running career, I have definitely had some aches and pains show up. As much as I love icing sore areas (not really), I found great relief using my hand warmers (linked here) on some of my sore areas. These specific hand warmers are small, soft and round, making them very comfortable to slide into a sock (for ankle relief), or rest the sore area on (ie. behind the knee, the calf muscle, ankle, foot, etc.) while having the leg extended comfortably on the couch, bed or recliner. I used to use the R.I.C.E treatment for healing, but some are saying that the M.E.A.T treatment should now be the focus.

"R.I.C.E. is designed to reduce the inflammation that occurs after an acute injury, which can be great depending on how much swelling there is. The problem is, blood flow (inflammation is an increase in blood flow as a reaction to an injury) is how our body heals. So why are we trying to prevent it?"

Blackstrap molasses has been an excellent addition to my running career, providing essential nutrients and sugars to keep my bones, joints and muscles strong and healthy. Blackstrap molasses has a unique taste, so I recommend adding 2 tbls to a cup of hot water, and topping it with a splash of your favorite milk (I use vanilla soy milk). This delicious, nutritious beverage is about to change your life forever. As you become more and more obsessed with this delightful drink, experiment with adding 2 tbls of bsm to water and orange juice (instead of milk) for added assistance with iron absorption. I also like to drink it mixed with just a little bit of water, and poured over ice for an outstanding afternoon pick-me-up. Once you go blackstrap molasses, you never go back. Read below for more info.

"An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a spoonful of blackstrap molasses might do the trick also. Blackstrap molasses is known for its iron content—one tablespoon contains about 20% of the daily value—but it is also a rich source of natural calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It is also a good source of manganese, vitamin B6, and selenium. And one tablespoon has only 42 calories."

My recent purchase of the Oura ring has taught me so much about my sleeping patterns. Getting enough sleep, and getting the right kind of sleep, greatly  contributes to a long-lasting running career. How well do you sleep at night? Your Oura ring will bring you into a whole new world of self-knowledge and self-love that will have you prioritizing your sleeping schedule like you never have before. Read my 'Fluffy to Fit' Blog below, and scroll down to the fourth step. I share with you how the Oura ring works, what my best and worst sleep scores have been since buying the Oura ring, and how it has drastically improved my overall athletic career and health in life.