Advice from an average runner

I like to run. It is fun and good exercise. I am just an average runner. I am not running in order to win, I am just running out of pure joy. I like to run in races, but it is more of a competition with myself and not with others. So from one average runner, I will like to share with you a bit of advice. Now this may not apply to you, but they are some of the tricks, issues, and things that I go thru when I run.

What no to eat before a run: Mexican food. You know what it does to you naturally, so, why would you eat it right before a run? Don't. I LOVE mexican food, but I have to wait at least 5 hours before a run if I eat it.

What I like to eat before a run: A milkshake. Strange, I know. I am not doing that this go round, but when I was training for my half marathon last year, I would eat a milkshake on the way home from work basically everyday and then go straight out to run once I got home. Some of my best runs were on days that I had a milkshake.

What I eat/drink before a 10miler: cup of black coffee and a gel pack...then half way thru the run, another gel pack. This gets me going and I can run non stop.

After I run: I shower...because I stink. Then, I go about my day.

I know that stretching is a good thing to do, but I never stretch before or after a run.

If you do not want to be noticed while you run, here are 2 things that I do: 1) I wear a hat and sunglasses...it is like my disguise, and I mentally think no one can see me or 2) go running when it is dark outside. now that is fun!!

If I hurt after a run, I get over it. No pain, no gain.

Music...gotta have good music. Although, my ipod was dead the other day and my run was amazing...maybe that is just because I had a lot of thoughts running through my head...thoughts like, jokes, blogs, books, Bible study...everything under the sun.

Okay...there is some advice that you can probably choose to ignore (except don't ignore the mexican part).