The shoes you wear while you run is a big part of how well you run. Those old Nikes in the back of your closet may not only cause injury

in the long-term, but keep you from reaching your ideal speed and hinder your glide from being effortless. 

Your running shoes don't have to be extremely expensive but they should

be comfortable, fit you comfortably, and hold up for a relatively long time. 

If you are focused on achieving fasting times during your runs and you can't quite seem to get there, your form may be at fault. 

You should always running with

your spine straight, your gaze steady on, and measured breathings. While some people may have a hard time fully controlling the swinging of their arms and elbows, the general rule

is to move them in opposition with the movement of your legs. 

This tip doesn't actually have much to do with your feet pounding the pavement but it is just as important. 

You should absolutely ALWAYS give your body time to fully

recover before you attempt another intense run. Your recovery time definitely depends on your overall health, which means that the time will lessen the healthier you are. 

Make sure that

your body is well-rested, free of injury, and ready to face the road again before you go on your next run. 

This is true with anything you do. Staying persistent is one of the only ways to perfect anything. In addition to perfecting your form, eating right, and doing all kinds

of other efficiency-focused things to perfect your runs, make sure that you are running often. 

You don't have to run everyday, but designate at least a couple days a week

to the activity. Always being sure that you keep up with the rest of the tips on this list as well. 

The food that you eat makes a huge difference on how your body feels from day to day. And the way your body feels from day to day makes a

huge difference on the efficiency of your runs. 

Make sure you're eating plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates and other foods that will help your body maintain stamina and strength

throughout the duration of your runs. 

Adding a few intervals of lunges, squats, planks, etc. to your runs will make things a lot more interesting and add some complexity to your exercise at the same time. 

Doing this will make your fitness experience much more well-rounded and keep things from getting old and boring.