The excitement of the race for the Presidency reached a fever pitch after each candidate selected his respective running mate. Unlike past elections, there seems to be a great deal of attention being paid to these individuals, more so than to the candidates themselves in some cases. But there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, one that actually has nothing to do with the body politic and more to do with just the body.

Just like Barack Obama and John McCain were careful in making their decisions in selecting a running mate, it will benefit the future of your workouts if you do the same.

Here are a few things to look for during the vetting process of your own potential running mates:

• Do they only run certain types of surfaces? If so, this may not work if you like to mix things up
• Are they motivated? If not, you may actually be better off going at it alone -- or continuing with your running mate search
  
• Are you at the same fitness level? If they are too fit for you, you will have trouble keeping up (which means you will hold them back). If you are much fitter, you may not push yourself as hard and may instead lower your effort level to allow them to keep up

• When do you like to run? Some people get up at the break of dawn to get in there miles, while others prefer to run in the afternoon. See if you can agree on a time that works for both of you.
• Will they hold you accountable? Find someone who won't easily let you off the hook if you blow off workouts or fail to push yourself
• Do they like to talk while they run? Find someone who shares a similar sentiment with you, or else one of you may become frustrated with all the chit-chat
• Do they live nearby? If not, the time it takes to drive to a meeting point may cut into the time you have to put in your daily run

I know many of you out there reading are avid runners, so I encourage you to add some tips of your own in the comments section below!!