A good run should be a freeing, empowering, and heart-strengthening experience that you can perform anywhere, anytime. However, making sure you’re well-prepared for powerful cardio exercise is as important as the run itself, as it can impact your health and happiness while you’re running. These are five ways to ensure that your runs are healthy, enjoyable, and uplifting!

Find The Perfect Location

Running on a rough, boring course will tend to exhaust and bore you more quickly than a vibrant, interesting landscape. Still, you don’t have to venture too far to achieve a perfect running course. Whether it’s a gorgeous path through a local park, the pretty scene of a nearby beach, or any other variety of pleasing locations, interesting scenery is sure to motivate your exercise. Besides avoiding mundane landscapes, it’s also worth finding a place that’s soft on your feet and nearby civilization in case of injury.

Eat A Healthy Meal

It’s always necessary to fuel up before any high-caliber exercise, including a run. Without any food in your body, you’ll likely feel lethargic and exhausted during your workout. In order to avoid tiredness and fatigue, eating a meal with plenty of protein, carbohydrates, and fruits/veggies before you head out can save you some grief. You’ll likely feel more energized, strong, and capable of completing a full run.

Squeeze In A Warm Up

It’s always worth setting aside pre-workout time for a good warm up, as it preps your resting body for the intense exercise ahead. This may include stretching your legs, thighs, arms, and feet to make sure they’re flexible and ready to be exercised. Also, kicking your run off with a walk can get your blood and muscles moving and help you develop a healthy pace before you’ve even begun your run.

Unplug And Be Present

While fitness watches, step trackers, and heart-rate monitors seem to be a staple of 21st-century exercise, they can drain the fun out of a run. Running should be a freeing and energizing experience, not one filled with concerns about time, calories, or steps. A well-paced and prepared-for run is healthy in and of itself and ditching the technology can provide for a more focused, enjoyable workout.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

It’s no secret that hydration is one of the most important things to keep up with during a workout. Keeping a water bottle nearby and making sure to replenish any lost fluids before, during, and after your run can prevent dehydration, heat stroke, and exhaustion. Since exercising increases your need for fluids, staying hydrated is essential to your health and energy both during and in recovery from a run.