Early in the summer of 2000, I became a runner. By this I mean that I used running as a means of stress relief, and did it several times a week. This continued up until the spring of 2003 at which point I injured myself riding my bicycle, two weeks before the Boston Marathon, for which I had been training for all winter long.

Since this time, I’ve found it very difficult to get back into the routine of running. I’ve tried many times, and sometimes I’d stick with it for 4-5 runs. I’d set small goals for myself, and would start to break into a rhythm, but it would never stick. Until now.

I think it had something to do with a New Years resolution, followed by the winter olympics (such a great motivator). And since the first of February, I’ve managed to log a around 80 miles. While this isn’t record-shattering, it’s still proof to myself that I’ve managed to keep it up. Moreso, however, is the past two weekends when I’ve even managed to get a long run in — and try to improve my endurance and overall weekly mileage.

As I’ve strugged to get back into the habit, I’ve begun to remember all of the little tips and tricks that I had during my “years as a runner.” While this probably isn’t the most useful for you, dear Diatribe readers, it could be for someone out there — so I thought I’d share my tips on learning how to run.
» Read more: Learning how to run