There is a few things to do before you get back into thought, we’re not in our 20’s anymore. First, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider before you begin any kind of training or fitness plan. Ask if there are any health concerns to be aware of, like signs of heart disease, diabetes, or orthopedic limitations. A complete physical will provide you and your physician with important health information like weight, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, BMI, and a lot more. Find a running store and get fitted. if you’re just starting out even just walking, a good pair of shoes is probably the most important piece of equipment you’ll need. It’s also where most of your knee, feet, and back injuries will occur so this is a must. Let the professional fit you. Let them know what you’ll be doing and they can provide you with the best shoes for you. Get a plan to start off with. I suggest you consider starting a walking program first. A brisk walk is just as good as not walking at all and is a great way for anyone to begin training. It can be especially effective for older runners or those who have been sedentary for long periods of time. Walking starts the basic conditioning process needed for running, but in a gentler manner. The same muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, and bones used for walking do similar movements on runs. As we age you’ll need a longer warmup period, so be sure to include this phase before moving into the actual exercise. A good 10 min walk warmup is a good target to start off with, then do a brisk walk at a faster pace for 5 min followed by a light jog for 5 mins and ease into it. Monitor how you feel as you start. adjust your time as needed. Being able to hold a conversation is a good point of reference or a rating of perceived exertion (RPE), this will gauge how you are progressing. Add in some cross-training, specifically strength and flexibility training which I talk about in my Resistance training blog. Strength training twice a week can help counter muscle loss and bone loss that comes with aging. Work on your flexibility with stretching after your jogs/walks to help maintain joint range of motion and helps your balance.