I've been running 3x a week for over 40 years now.

* about 4 miles

* I don't run for time, just a trot

* not training for anything

* drink a full glass of water beforehand. If sweaty outside, two glasses

* had some pain in my hips and knees. Switched to a ball-strike rather than a heel-strike. Pain went away. (you can feel the difference in the impact on the knees and hips)

* don't run downhill

* the big toe joint hurts and has gotten large making it hard to find shoes that fit

* don't run when not feeling well, or there's ice

* I feel weird when I can't run for some reason

* It feels good to run, and I like the results

When I started running, I hated it. I had to force myself to do it.

A funny thing happened after about a year. I realized I was looking forward to the run, and missed it when I wasn't.

But it took a whole year :-/

I did similar for about 25 years. I had one injury from overtraining (I basically ran 20 miles every Sunday morning for 6 months, in addition to two shorter runs each week) that ended up plantar fasciitis and I had to take 4-5 month off.

I stopped doing that sort of weekly long run after that and did a lot more in the 6-10 miles range.

Then during and immediately post-COVID shutdowns, I just started running every time I felt stressed about something, and I started to neglect all the other holistic movements that complement running.

This ended up leading to a weird twinge in my hip that 2 years of focused strength training hasn't eliminated. Doctor says there is nothing structural but I don't run any more and I miss it often. There is a flow state I seem to get in somewhere just under to just over an hour in to a run.

The only other time I ever get in to that wonderful flow state is every once in a while when playing guitar, but it's rare.

I does feel good to run, and I miss it.