"Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)" - Scorpions
A few more pointers:
5. Eat right. When I first started running, I read something from a trainer. He said, "If you're on a no/low-carb diet, stop it right now!" Carbs are your fuel source - it's how you build up the glycogen your muscles need to run. Granted, you should eat whole grains and other complex carbs, lean protein, and your fruits and veggies, but don't deprive your body of its number one energy source. You've heard of carb-loading before a race for a reason.
6. Appropriate gear. The main things to start off with here are good shoes, a good sports bra, and comfortable outerwear. Your shoes should be made for running and should feel comfortable as soon as you buy them. Shoes should NEVER have to be broken in to be comfortable. (If you want to go shoeless, the new trend, do it only indoors for short distances until your feet are calloused enough to handle more.) A sports bra should restrict movement as much as possible. Gravity is doing its darndest to get us - don't give it any help. Your outerwear should be what is comfortable to you. I love my tank top with the pocket for my cell phone and my shorts with a Velcro-close pocket for my car key. Moisture-wicking materials are a major bonus, too.
7. Forgive yourself for lapses. Okay, so you missed a day...or a week...or a month of work-outs. That doesn't mean you stop for good. You circle a date on the calendar that you're getting back out there, and when that day arrives, you do the best you can. Do your best, celebrate small victories, keep trying, repeat.
8. Have fun! There are lots of ways to make running fun. Run with a friend, join a running club, sign up for your favorite charity's 5K, load your MP3 player with all your beloved up-beat tunes, form a team and train for an Urban Adventure Race, set a goal and give it your all. Whatever you do, just enjoy that you are doing something good for yourself.
I love running. I don't always like the way my legs or lungs feel while I'm running, but I love the feeling of accomplishment. I love the solitude. I love the time to think without interruptions. I hope you will come to love it, too, but if you don't, that's okay. You can still apply these tips to your favorite exercise routine, and to your life in general.
Here are two more links for you:
http://running.about.com/od/runningforbeginners/u/Beginners.htm
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
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