Originally Posted by JohnsZ

Congrats on taking up the sport! Long distance running is definately not for everyone for a myriad of reasons but for those that do successfully take up the sport, running is extremely rewarding. This is a sport where the saying "you only get out what you put in" is very true. I spent over 25 years of my life running, starting at around the age of 28 and gradually stopping at 55. In that time, I logged over 23,000 miles (I kept a diary of all my runs) and ran 4 marathons including well over 50 other races anywhere between 4 miles and the marathon distance. There is so much advice I could give but I will generally say this; start slow with short distances and work your way up, run regularly even if it's only a short run, stretch before and after, eat well, and get enough sleep. Rule of thumb for running....if you can't hold a conversation while running, your going too fast. Good shoes are a must but the right ones for your particular feet and gait are vital. A Running Store is the best place to buy running shoes. Run races as they are motivating and an incentive to keep at it and run with others or join a running club. To answer your question about energy, you will fiind that your energy level will quickly improve with a consistent running regimen. If you only run a couple of days per week or just on the weekends, you will get frustrated seeing little improvement. Run at least 5x per week. One bottle of Powerade????? That should be a minimum. If you follow these general guidelines, you will be amazed of how rewarding running is. Good luck to you!