Running And Jogging In Springtime

                                                                     

The coming of Spring and the warmer weather is a time when many of us want to get out in the open and run or jog our way to fitness. A good running or jogging program can do wonders for our general health. Here is an interesting article which was published in About.com: http://running.about.com/od/injuryprevention/tp/springrunning.htm and authored by Christine Luff http://running.about.com/bio/Christine-Luff-35471.htm

Spring into Running
If you took a bit of a running break during the winter, don't expect to be running at the same level as you did in the fall. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head outside to take advantage of the nicer weather and ease back into running.
Now that the weather is starting to get warmer and there's more hours of daylight in the evening, you may be itching to get outside and run. But if you took a bit of a running break during the winter, don't expect to be running at the same level as you did in the fall.
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head outside to take advantage of the nicer weather and ease back into running:
Make slow increases.
If you haven't run consistently all winter, start your spring training with short, easy runs -- no more than 3 or 4 miles at a time. Don't run two days in a row. One of the easiest ways to get injured is to increase your mileage too soon, before you've established a good running base. Don't bump up your mileage by more than 10 percent per week.
Watch your intensity.
Be patient with your running -- it could take as long as 4-6 weeks to re-build your running base. Don't introduce hill running or speed training until you have a solid base. And make sure you give yourself enough recovery time in between hard workouts.
Pick a race.
A great way to stay motivated through your spring training is to pick a race that's a few months away. It will give you a goal to work toward. Just be realistic and allow yourself the proper time to get ready.
More: How to Find Local Road Races
Follow a training schedule.
If you decide to train for a late spring or summer race, find a training schedule that works for your race distance and running level. Following a training schedule will help keep you on track and prevent you from doing too much too soon.
Track your progress.
As you're building (or re-building) up your fitness, it's helpful to keep a training log. You'll be able to see your progress at a glance, which will help boost your motivation.
Get used to running outside again.
If you didn't run or trained on the treadmill during the winter, you may have forgotten some important safety precautions for running outdoors.
Be prepared for rain.
You should expect to deal with some wet weather during spring training. Follow these tips for running in the rain to stay more comfortable on rainy runs.
Look ahead, don't look back.
If you took some time off from running, you may be frustrated thinking about your previous fitness level. Don’t beat yourself up and put pressure on yourself to get back into shape quickly. You'll have plenty of time to train and improve your fitness before the summer and fall racing season. Just enjoy running as you work on building up your fitness level gradually and safely.

The above article is quoted from About.com:  http://running.about.com/od/injuryprevention/tp/springrunning.htm
Spring is the time to get out there and get back into your running and jogging form. We all need to regain the level of fitness we had before our running ceased for the Winter months. Do it gradually and carefully however. Don't expect to get out there and take up where you left off last fall. For more in formation about running and jogging see this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMlsZyAh2LY and check out this ebook which has all the information you have been looking for: http://www.amazon.com/Running-Jogging-Health-Fitness-ebook/dp/B007MFTLS8/ref=sr_1_103?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332521480&sr=1-103