When your mother told you to stand up straight as a kid, she was right. Good posture is essential to avoiding back pain, a pot belly, and neck pain. The need for good posture follows you into your running program. If you've started training for one of the 2010 Toronto Marathons, then keep these pointers in mind during your training. Long distance running is phenomenal, but feeling good during and after your run will allow you to enjoy the experience of a marathon (or half marathon!) even more. 

Running tip 1: Relax!

Don't clench those fists. As you're running, keep your hands loose and imagine holding a thin piece of paper between your thumb and second finger. When you clench up your muscles contract which wastes energy and can lead you to stiffen up other muscles as well, which ultimately slows you down. 

Running tip 2: Use your arms

Your arms can be a major help in propelling you forward as you run. Your elbows should be in a 90 degree angle, and your arms should swing from your chest to your hip. Don't flap out your arms like wings as you run. You're not a chicken and this will not only slow you down, it costs more energy. Keep an eye out for the chicken wings when running, more people than you think are making this mistake. 

Running tip 3: Watch your landing

The way you land can affect not only how your run goes, but whether or not your get injured over time. Ideally, you need to land on the ball of your foot. Not on your toes, and not on your heel. Landing on the ball of your foot will propel you forward, while landing on your toes puts too much of a strain on your calf muscles. 

Running tip 4: Keep looking forward

Keep your chin up and your eyes looking forward. This keeps your head up, which helps align your spine, torso, and pelvis in the right position. Stop looking at the ground, and you'll also see that finish line creeping closer! 

Running tip 5: Watch your leg alignment

When your foot fully hits the ground, it should be right underneath your knee, which should also be right under your hip. Seems like a no-brainer? It's not, and to achieve this alignment you need to lean forward just slightly. Doing so will help you achieve a far more fluid motion. 

Source: Self.com