Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Stretching is an important part of a fitness regimen, especially for runners. After putting some mileage on the personal odometer, runners’ muscles tend to become tight and inflexible, especially in certain areas such as the hips, lower back, and hamstring. And when tight muscles compromise the ability of a joint’s ability to move through its full range of motion, injury is more likely.

A stretch is a stretch, right? Well, not really. Stretching and the different ways to stretch are topics of controversy among runners. For the past 25 years, so-called static or gradual stretching has been considered the right way to stretch. This is a slow, gradual stretch that you hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

Your chances of landing in a comfortable, quality pair of running shoes greatly increases if you shop at a running specialty shop rather than a huge, multisport center attempting to hawk everything from bowling balls to scuba gear to in-line skates. Employees of most running specialty shops typically are people who run themselves.

Most runners naturally land on the heel and then "roll up" to push off with the ball of the foot or toes. Midfoot strikers push off with the ball of the foot, and those rare forefoot strikers push off with their toes. Ideally, runners should land lightly on the heel, with the lead leg just slightly bent at the knee (the best method to absorb shock), immediately roll up to the forefoot or toes, and push off powerfully into the next stride.

Most running safety rules are just common sense. But you see so many runners — both male and female — who violate them every day that a rules review is indeed in order. Consider the following: Don't wear headsets. This is the No. 1 rule for safe running. Why? Because when you listen to music or the radio while running outside, you can't hear car horns, cyclists, or, heaven forbid, the footsteps of someone coming up behind you.

Some runners pick the right foods to eat the day before and morning of a race and are diligent about taking in fluids during the competition. But many of those same runners don't eat so "smart" in those weeks between races. Dietary habits can affect performance and, more importantly, overall health. A solid place to start is with the carbohydrates rule!

Before you make the transition from walking to running, here are the answers to the most basic and commonly asked beginners' questions. How often should I run? The short answer is "not every day." Indeed, for all but the very best runners — those people who have built-for-the-long-haul bodies — running seven days a week, week in and week out, is a surefire recipe for injury.

If you're ready to start putting together a marathon program, start by running whatever distance you can currently run, and gradually build up your mileage until you’ve reached the point where you can cover 20 or more miles in your training. You should allow four months of training before tackling the marathon.

Five of the most common running injuries are shinsplints, chondromalacia (runner’s knee), Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome. Stress fractures, which usually occur in small bones in the foot, leg or shin, also show up in runners who overtrain. Runners must constantly guard against blisters, strains, and other problems that can hinder their efforts.