Some Questions For Runners... I'm New To It!

Sorry no advice here... I'm a newbie too! Bumping so I can read your answers as well, and best of luck with getting running off to the right start!

buy the book chi running by danny dreyer (I think that's how his name is spelled). It'll answer all your questions. It totally changed my attitude towards running and helped me be injury free.

Basics are, run while leaning forward ever so slightly and concentrate on relaxing your upper body while you run. Imagine your body as a pendulum with your core as the base and your arms and legs as the swinging parts. And try to land your foot in the middle when you hit the ground rather than the heel. If you feel a bit of pain, just make the slightest tweak to your posture until you don't feel the pain anymore. It's worked for me and I'm only half way through the book!!

With the breathing, I would say try to have the most relaxed breathing you can. If you feel too out of breath, slow down until your breathing normalizes more, then you can pick up the pace.

But seriously, buy that book!!!

I am not a pro, but I did train for and run a half-marathon in March. I can't give you official advice, but I can share what helped me.

A previous poster covered posture and stance, but I will add this: Try to relax. I start by making sure my hands aren't clenched in a fist. You can expend a lot of energy that you otherwise would use for your run by clenching muscles that don't have to be clenched. Head up, look ahead, not down.

As for the socks - definitely ditch the sweat socks and get some non-cotton ones at a fitness or shoe store. If you live near a Fleet Feet, try them for socks and shoes. I am sure there are other choices, but where I live, it's Fleet Feet. I don't like big box, discount or certain "fitness" chains because the personnel don't know what they're doing. Buy your shoes from a store where when you walk in and ask for help, they measure your feet, observe your stride, ask questions about your training, etc... If they don't do that, move on.

Now for the stitch in your side. This stopped me running a lot in the beginning, but somehow I just overcame it the longer I trained. I made the mistake of drinking too much Gatorade at one stop on the half-marathon course and got a stitch. I didn't stop running, but I did slow down, deepen my breathing and pushed hard with two fingers where it hurt. It went away quickly and on I ran! It will also help to figure out what YOU can and cannot eat before a run (and how soon before a run). You need food for fuel, but too much or the wrong kind can sit like a lead weight and HURT. Personally, I can't have too much fiber right before a run. I try for a little yogurt and fruit, or cheese and fruit - but not terribly much, and I make sure all my other meals are healthful. What you eat during the day will definitely affect your runs and your energy, so make good choices and cover your carbs, proteins and fats within your recommended guidelines.

Good luck! I never thought I would be a runner - and now it's very much my preferred exercise. There is no exercise for me that compares.

It took me a few months of running to work my way up from no running to now I can do 3 miles.
My advice is this:
invest in decent running shoes. It does make a difference
Hydrate yourself well, but don't chug a bunch or water right before and during your run. This will make you get sharp pains.
Push it a bit for 2 minutes then walk for 2....then jog for 3 and walk for 2 jog for three and increase your jog time.
Soon you'll be jogging half a mile and then walking for a minute and jogging the rest.

That's all I got. I'm not a pro but a few months ago I could barely jog 4.9 mph for more than two minutes. Now I jog 5.7 mph for a full 10 minutes before I need to walk for a minute.