A great tip for beginning runners is to buy a couple of running magazines to learn running tips, correct nutrition and more.......

A great tip for beginning runners who are still not sure if running is for them or not is this - head to your local bookstore, flip through the running magazines then buy a couple. Take the magazines home, make yourself a cup of coffee and a healthy snack, and spend a couple of hours perusing them. Why buy running magazines, you ask? What's that going to do for my running ability? Surprisingly enough, it'll do lots for your running ability and even more for your motivation level, and here's why.

When I began running, I enjoyed the daily runs but, after a while, I got a bit tired of running solo. I had so many questions I wanted answers to, but no-one to ask. I wasn't sure if I was 'doing it right', or if there were other things I should be doing. Was I eating the right things? Was I running far enough? Fast enough? Should I stretch before a run or not stretch? This is where the magazines come in.

Every month, there are many different running magazines published. Runner's World and Running Times are two of the most popular ones, but there are also imported running magazines that many bookstores in the US carry. Each magazine has great articles on training techniques, running tips, correct nutrition, guides to buying running shoes and running bras, and tons more stuff. They also have photographs of runners in action. And that's what got me obsessed with running.

When I first started running, I was overweight, which was a huge reason (no pun intended!) for me beginning running in the first place. I ran for a couple of weeks and lost a couple of pounds but not anything to write home about. Then I started to look at runner's bodies in the running magazines, and noticed the strong legs, the defined muscles and the healthy appearance each runner had. That's what I wanted for myself and I soon realized running was almost a guarantee of me getting there. That, along with reading the nutrition articles, the training tips and an article on buying running bras (I never could get the fit right before that), I soon found I was even more motivated to run and to run properly.

Once you really become serious about running, the running magazines are also great places to read about upcoming running events, races and marathons, and to read about ones that just happened. They'll also keep you motivated as, just a quick flip through any of them, and you'll remember why you thought running was a good idea at the outset.

So, for a great tip for beginning runners to keep you running and motivated, buy a couple of running magazines or even sign up for a subscription for your favorite one. Then set aside an hour a week to read, and check out what other runners are doing. For a few dollars a month, it's amazing what you can learn.