Over the years I have run hundreds of races and logged 124,000 miles. Obviously, along the way I must have done some things to make running enjoyable or I wouldn’t have lasted all those years, run all those races, logged all those miles.

What things did I do? Glad you asked. Here are 26 suggestions for making your running more enjoyable. Let’s call them Marathoning’s ABCs.

I was going to drop one letter of the alphabet to accommodate the “25” theme of this issue of Marathon & Beyond, but I decided, nah, it’s gonna be the whole alphabet—after all, there are 26 letters in the alphabet and 26 miles in a marathon.

LEARN YOUR ABCs

Anticipation. Always have something to look forward to, and you’ll enjoy your running more. You might look forward to a race, a mileage goal, or a different running experience. Maybe even consider a once-in-a-lifetime experience, like running a marathon in London, Boston, or Honolulu.

Anticipation helps build and fuel enthusiasm—but there can be a problem with anticipation. Sometimes you anticipate too much and build your expectations out of reach of reality. So anticipate, yes, but with moderation.

Commitment. Like everything else in life, if your running is meaningful to you, you have to commit to it. Think of the things in your life to which you’ve made a firm commitment. Aren’t they all things of value?

Don’t feel guilty about your running. When you’re out running, don’t think that you should be spending time cutting the grass, washing the car, or scrubbing the floor. The time to feel guilty is when you’re not taking care of your body. Guilt just drains your energy.

Desires. Learn to limit your desires. “I have learned to seek my happiness,” John Stuart Mill told us, “by limiting my desires rather than by trying to satisfy them.” Likewise, if you limit your desires in running, it’s likely you will enjoy it more.

Equipment. Take every advantage you can through using the right equipment. Shoes, for example. I firmly believe what Jack Foster says: wear the lightest shoes you can handle. Lightweight shoes work for me. Maybe they won’t for you, but seek out whatever shoe that works best for you. Also: be sure to keep your equipment handy, easy to get at. The more convenient it is for you to get started, the more likely you will get started.

Goals. Keep goals simple and attainable, but also feature a degree of effort and application. To remain injury free for a year is a goal of this criteria. If you set a goal and don’t reach it, go back to the drawing board and reassess. On the other hand, if you set a goal and succeed, don’t get complacent. Move yourself up a notch or two.

Hurdles. The challenge thing. Throw down the gauntlet. Set a hurdle up so you can jump over it. Some examples: to train for and finish your first marathon, to run an ultra, to run a number of days without missing.

Jogger? A lot of words have been written to try to explain the differences between a runner, a jogger, and a slogger. But do these semantics really matter? What’s important is how much you enjoy running and what you get out of it. As Emerson told us, “The first wealth is health.”

Knowledge. Know the basics. Run smart. Take every advantage you fairly can through what you know. In a race, learn to run the shortest route: run the tangents. Stay off the crown of the road to avoid injury. Learn techniques, such as relaxing your hands, proper breathing, not overlifting your trailing leg in a long-distance race, and when running downhill, don’t overstride but shorten your stride and increase your rotation.

Lifetime running. If you’re lucky, you will age. And if you are going to age and to run, you should be patterning your running to last a lifetime. You will enjoy your running more if it’s sustainable.

Motivation. Sometimes the hardest part of running is putting on your shoes and getting out the door. Your motivation needs constant refueling. Find what interests you and go for it—be it short races, trail runs, marathons, or ultras.

No more mañanas. How many people do you know who are going to start exercising tomorrow? Or stop smoking tomorrow? As a runner, how many times have you told yourself, I won’t run today, but I’ll run twice as far tomorrow? How often does that really happen?

Oneness. Maintain your individuality. Nobody knows you better than you. One of the reasons you run is for your own growth and development. As George Sheehan was fond of telling us, “In running we are each an experiment of one.”

Philosophy. Develop a running philosophy. Keep it simple. If you want an example of a running philosophy, here’s mine: experience and experiment, enjoy and endure. Trying to excel is just fine as long as it does not interfere with your pursuit of the other four Es.

Quality over quantity. Build endurance before speed. You need an endurance base before you can enjoy running. You’re not going to enjoy running, especially running a marathon, if you’re exhausted all the time you’re running. The glory of endurance is that practically all of us can attain it if we have the patience and the consistency.

Races. A race can be more than just a race. Sure, the competition is a thrill, but there’s also the socializing, the camaraderie, the experience, the stimulation. Don’t make a habit of just going to a race, racing, and then coming home. Add some extra activities, just for pleasure.

Solo running. What’s best? Running alone or with a partner? I think you’re best off mixing the two. Do some solo running for the “thinking time.” Running with a partner allows you to exchange ideas, enjoy companionship, and, yes, commiserate over your running injuries.

Track. For a good contrast to your road running, every now and then wander over to a track for some interval running or speed play. A track, be it all-weather or dirt, is kinder to your legs than pavement.

Unicorn. Don’t play leapfrog with a unicorn. That is, don’t ask for trouble, because you might get it. For instance, don’t expect to run a 6-minute mile if the fastest 440/400 you can muster is 1:45.

Variety. If having fun is your target, seek out what most appeals to you: places to run, places to race, people with whom you can run. It’s true, as they say, that if you want to get full enjoyment from your running, you’ve got to take time to smell the flowers, listen to the wind, admire a tree, appreciate the colors and moods of nature.

Weather. There can be a sanctified stillness when running through a gentle snowfall.

Excuses. Know the excuses for not running and avoid them. We all know them: “It’s too hot,” “It’s too cold,” “I’ve got too many things to do.” Ron Clarke, the great Australian record-holder in everything from the 10K to the 20-mile run, said that the only days he did not run were when he had a fever. That’s dedication.

Yourself. Think of yourself as a runner. If you do, the running attitude will sort of rub off on your lifestyle and on your choices of food, drink, and diet. For starters, start keeping a diary or log. As the years pass, the log also serves as a good medical record—and as the building blocks of a beloved avocation.

Zen. Years ago, Mike Tymn, a friend in Hawaii, sent me a book, The Zen of Archery, and inside the cover inscribed: “This is probably the best book you will ever read on running.” It’s an account by a German professor who lived five years in Japan and tried to understand Zen through the practice of archery. He learned how the man, the bow, the arrow become one. Through running, you can arrive at something close to this Zen understanding.

The box score, then, is 26 suggestions. Now, suppose I had to boil all this advice down to one word. A suggestion for your running limited to one word? What would that word be? The word I finally settled on was enjoy, because I figure if you enjoy running, you’ll continue to endure it. So, ask yourself: are you enjoying your running? Yes? Then keep on doing what you’re doing. No? Then take a tip or two from above and get back on the right track—because if you’re not enjoying your running, something needs to change.