Running isn't just an effective form of exercise, it's cost-efficient (you need nothing more than a good pair of shoes), you can do it anywhere and it's an excellent way to work through life's little stressors. If running is your exercise of choice, you may want to fuel yourself with these four foods, recommended by running coach Jenny Hadfield:

• Almonds. The vitamin E in almonds helps to prevent achy muscles. Grab a small handful for a snack -- but watch your portion sizes. Even though almonds are rich in healthy fats, they still pack quite a few calories.
• Oranges. Vitamin C helps repair muscle damage caused by running.
  
• Sweet potatoes. A great source of healthy carbs, sweet potatoes are rich in potassium and magnesium -- minerals that runners lose through sweat.
• Tuna. Serious runners need 60-90 grams of protein a day to help repair muscle. Tuna is a convenient and lean source of protein.

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Have you heard this story yet? The one about a woman in Arizona who went jogging and was bitten by a fox? She is fine, which makes the story a happy one but what's truly amazing is that the girl continued running -- yes, she kept running -- for another mile, with the fox dangling from her arm. I don't know about you, but a fox attached to my arm by fierce and sharp teeth would serve as a pretty good excuse to give up on a workout. Heck, a cramp in my side is enough for me to stop. This gal is clearly one fit cookie.

Why'd she keep running? It wasn't exactly because she wanted to finish her workout. It was because she wanted to make it back to her car, where she could pry the fox off her arm, toss it in her trunk, and get the thing tested for rabies. Which is exactly what she did, after she was treated at the hospital first, of course. Incidentally, an animal control officer was also struck by the fox when he tried to remove it from the trunk. Both he and the jogger have received post-exposure rabies vaccinations.

Makes that quiet jog through my neighborhood seem like not such a grueling task. A cramp in my side -- yeah, I'm thinking it's not really worthy of much whining now. And what implications does this story have for you? Well, perhaps you need to add one more item to your outdoor workout safety list: Beware of rabid animals.

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If you're serious about running, there's no more important investment than your shoes. While you don't have to buy the most expensive shoes on the market (cost doesn't necessarily equal quality), you do want to make sure you have a properly fitted, supportive, and comfortable shoe.

When you've got the right fit, a good shoe can enhance and improve your performance. Divine Caroline gives us a list of the top five running shoes.

When shopping for running shoes, be sure to wear the type of socks you would wear when running. Also, it's better to shop in the afternoon when your feet are a bit more swollen. Also, if the store has a treadmill or a small track for you to use, by all means, try them out.

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If you run for exercise or sport or both, do you prefer to be called a runner or a jogger? One Runner's World reader asks expert columnist Miles what word is most appropriate. Definitely "runner," he says.

"Jogging implies that you lack passion and commitment, that you're out there on the road in $130 running shoes simply for show, that you could take the sport or leave it (and often do leave it)," says Miles.

Ask any runner and you'll hear the same sentiment, Miles reports. You'll hear that those who "run," not "jog," do so to push their limits and live healthier lives. Run a six-minute mile or a 12-minute one -- it doesn't matter. It's still called running. Not jogging.

I don't really care what I'm called. Although I guess when I talk about myself and what I do for exercise, I rarely say the words "jog" or "jogger." How about you? Are you offended by "jogging"?

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In my very own city, in a neighborhood just a few miles away, a 36-year-old woman was beaten and raped while jogging this morning. She wasn't far from her house, on a trail that winds through her sprawling subdivision, when a man got out of his car, assaulted her at gunpoint, and got away when her screams beckoned another jogger. The man is on the loose. The woman, now in the hospital, is left scarred forever.

I don't know much else about this story -- I don't really want to know more -- but I do realize that my own solo darkened morning runs through area neighborhoods have got to stop. I don't like it. But I do like my life. And so I can run on my treadmill at home. Or I can run outdoors during daylight hours, perhaps with a friend tagging along, or I can focus my efforts at the gym. I don't have to run outside, in the dark, alone. In fact, I'd be pretty wise not to.

Fitness, clearly, isn't always good for your health, especially with a possible side effect like rape. So please, let this story motivate you to take every possible safety precaution when you're working out. It's exactly what I'm going to do.

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Most of us know that the New York Marathon happened just last weekend, and it brought out a number of celebrities, including Katie Holmes and Lance Armstrong. It seems like everyone is running a marathon these days -- from those who are only occasional joggers to those who are hard-core runners. I doubt I could run a marathon myself, but I really admire those who do, whether they're marathon veterans or first-timers who've decided to challenge themselves.

But take a look at this article, titled 'How Oprah Ruined the Marathon'. The author argues that Oprah has brought too much publicity to marathons by competing in one herself, and now everyone thinks they're cut out for a marathon and takes one on as a personal challenge.

I can see his point. But marathons are hard work and I think that any sort of phenomenon that encourages someone to get in ultimate shape and push themselves beyond what they ever thought they could accomplish is a good thing. Leave the awards and top race times to the fanatical marathoners -- I don't think it ruins things to have a few people trailing behind, just happy to cross the finish line.

What do you think?

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Women runners out there, this article is for you! Men may have the edge with aging when it comes to sex appeal (why can't wrinkles make women look sexier?) but women seem to have the edge in athletics, specifically running. In this article in the New York Times one woman shares her observations about how men in races seem to consistently run longer times as they age, versus women who are "all over the place" and are often faster in their 30s and 40s than they were in their 20s.

Experts surmise it's not so much about physiology but more mental instead. Women don't often learn to assert themselves and really set challenges until they get older and more confident -- suddenly they realize what they're really capable of.

Watch out guys, here we come.

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Along with walking, running/jogging is probably one of the easiest ways to get in shape and stay healthy because it doesn't take any special training or equipment other than a good pair of shoes. You do have to be careful not to hurt yourself by overdoing it, though, because overuse injuries are easily prevented but commonly seen in runners. Here are some tips to keep it safe while running:

• Don't increase your running distance more than 10% each week.
• Run on flat even ground, preferably with some "give" to it
• Stop if you feel pain. Ice the area and don't run again until the pain is gone.
• Alternate longer or harder runs with lighter days of jogging
• Keep your running shoes in good shape and replace them every 500 miles for maximum shock absorption

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You can definitely do too much of almost anything, whether it's generally good for you or not. As far as doing to much running? Well that all depends on how well you take care of yourself.

The human body is amazing as far as what it can adapt to, but according to this article it's more designed for short spurts of high exertion (think sports like basketball or sprinting) as opposed to long stretches, like a marathon. Now that's not to say that marathon running is a terrible thing, just that understanding how it impacts your body is especially important.

So how much is too much running? It's a great way to burn calories and stay fit, but obviously very individualized as far as just how much is the right amount. If you feel energized and healthy then you're probably okay, but if you have constant aches and pains, or feel drained all the time then maybe you should cut back a little. And always make sure you get enough sleep and enough to eat for fuel. I also suggest checking out our own Jonathon Morgan's inspirational (and often hilarious!) regular feature Jogging for Normal People.

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