I like to run every day. Here are some of cool things that I have discovered over the years.

If you have never used a foam roller you’re missing out. I was having troubles with my lower legs, specifically my achilles was over tight to the point where stretching wasn’t loosening it up. I bought one and used it for a couple of months. But when Teresa and I went a Lamaze class and they suggested using a rolling pin( like the one you roll out Christmas cookies with) to help with cramping. Little did I know that it worked better on my caves than the foam roller because I could get more leverage apply more pressure.

Use some sort of tracking. In the past I had a running calendar where I would jot down the time and distance on the day. Now I use runkeeper to track my runs on my phone. You can use it for free, but I pay the 12 bucks a year because they continually add features to it that I find helpful. Its easy to get discouraged about your progress when you start running. Being able to look back will help you feel good about the progress you have made. On days that it rains you can still take your phone with you just put it in a snack size zip-lock baggie or wrap it in plastic wrap.

At some point you might venture out on longer runs and have an “oh shit” moment. Or run with out carrying water. Try planning your route where here are outhouses / bathrooms like state / city parks. Just make sure that they are open. Here in Iowa most of the time they open in memorial day and close shortly after labor day. Nobody wants to take a shit in the woods because it was a nice day in February.

When its cold out I run with cotton socks on my hands. Its cheaper than buying five pars of gloves. If your like me, you already have 20 pairs sitting in your drawer. Its also warmer because its like wearing mittens. On really cold days I might have three pairs on my hands.

Hopefully you will find these useful. If you try one of these please leave a note of your experience in the comments. I would love to read it.