I ran a mile. Then I ran 99+ more miles.

Ok, I'll admit that's a little snarky. On the one hand, that's all there is to it. On the other, how you spread those miles out over time is extremely important. And it's something I learned the hard way.

In truth, though, I'm thrilled with this number. It's both a milestone and a personal record for miles run in a month. When my running ap told me I'd hit 100 miles for the month, I thought, hot damn! Then I kept running.

Running is one of those things (like writing), which I do because I have to. It's the only anti-depressant I've found that works. It's the only thing that makes me feel fully awake, so it's my respite from narcolepsy. It's also the closest I come to meditation (which does send me to sleep), and it's where I generate most of my creative ideas.

Unfortunately, it's also the way I injure myself.

I started running consistently a couple of years ago, when I discovered the benefits of doing it regularly. After running 3.1 miles (a 5-K) every day for nearly a month, I pushed myself on a much longer run - about eight miles. I'd discovered some new trails, the endorphins were flowing, and I was high on life. I ignored the discomfort around the top of my left leg until, suddenly, I could barely walk. I'd strained my hip-flexor and also my glutes.

It took me over a month until I could hit the trails again.

A year later, when I stopped working full-time, I kicked my running back into high gear. I'd been increasing the mileage much more gradually this time. But for some reason I felt compelled to take nine consecutive six mile (10 kilometer) runs. 10K Every Day! was my motto.

This time the old injury struck with no warning at all.

It was a real bummer, because this was around New Year's, and I really wanted to log a lot of miles in 2017. After taking several weeks off (and going a little mad with the lack of physical activity) I had to start again with two-mile daily runs.

So this is what's worked for me, in 2017.

I limit my running to five days a week. No long-term "streaking." It's clear my muscles and tendons need at least a couple days a week to rest and recover.

I increase my weekly mileage limit by a max of 10% each week. This is the accepted wisdom for injury free training, and though I've read on some websites that it's just a rule of thumb, it seems to work for me.

After I've increased the distance for four consecutive weeks, I'll step it back down 10% for a "recovery" week, then repeat the increases again.

I use a spreadsheet to track my targets, and plan the routes in advance so I'm not tempted to explore some long new trails.

If I start to feel any symptoms of pain or discomfort, I'll rest for an additional day or two. Running is such an ingrained habit by now that this makes me extremely anxious. I'll have to apologize to the Wife in advance for my mood when this happens. But after two serious injuries, I'm terrified that the next one could stop me for good. I don't want to think about how life would feel without my fix.

Maybe it's as much an addiction as exercise. So be it.

In any case it's taken me over half the year to get back up to that 10K distance. And, big-picture perspective, I've been trying to get here for years. So - hooray! I think I'll stop adding extra miles for a few weeks and just enjoy where I'm at.

The only other tip is to keep in good supply of fresh shoes, although I don't buy them as often as manufacturers suggest. Two pair every four to six months seems to work for me, and I'll alternate them so I'm not running in the same shoes for two consecutive days.

I'm not really interested in doing marathons or competitive races. This is all strictly for personal satisfaction, and keeping up with the goals in that spreadsheet is enough of a challenge.

If you're interested in running:

I recommend starting with a short distance - short enough that you don't feel you're pushing yourself too hard on any given day. It'll become a habit in a few months and then you won't be able to live without it. Just be careful when you start breaking through those barriers and suddenly feel like you can run for ever and ever. As hard as it might be to believe when you're starting out and you're huffing and puffing, the day will come that you just want to run and run. Congratulations! Your lungs and heart are stronger than they've ever been. But sometimes your cardio improves so much that your muscles can't keep up.

Other than that, yeah, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Until you reach the end. And then stop.

You can do it again tomorrow.