I am not a good runner I am just a runner with good habits

A friend asked me yesterday for advice. She was gonna start trying to run regularly. Here's what I wrote her:

Here was the magic formula that worked for me:

• Habits beat cleverness. Set yourself a daily time. It doesn’t matter when. You’ll have to find out when that daily hour is for you that works best. But that matters is: just take one time.
• Get out of the door at that time. No matter what. If you feel tired that’s okay. If you feel like giving up, we’re all humans! Just try to make it out if the door!
• When you start, it’s going to be a lot of head games. Try to turn off your mind as much as possible. Again, habits within the running session help too.
• Put on the exact same playlist every time for the first month. Some music that you like that’s energising. But you don’t associate much more with it than maybe the need to dance. This is music that’s not emotionally deep but it might be rhythmically deep, with consistent loudness and beat. Don’t put the music too loud. This will also allow you to stay in touch with your surroundings, like is there a bicycle that’s crossing the road?
• Make it a goal to run only one kilometre initially. You don’t care. It’s a simple goal. But being short, it allows you to keep your house clean: in those 1 kilometre try as much as possible to avoid drifting off with your head. Keep with he running. Rinse and repeat.
• After a week or two, increase the length to 3 kilometres. You might want to make the switch earlier. It’s up to you. The important bit is you define two numbers for yourself here: 1) How many kilometres you are gonna run. 2) When you’re making the switch from maybe 1 kilometres to 3.
• When you make this switch, things might be a little hard again initially but that’s okay.
• By the next time you make the switch from maybe 3 to 5 kilometres, you’ll be more used to it.

Two more things:

• Running shoes are nice but you can get started (today) with some other gym shoes or whatever. Don’t fret. I think you’re lightweight so it’s not gonna hurt you ever.
• There’s a lot of talk about the right technique but don’t worry about that too much. Your body already knows and will help you!

"I'm not great programmer. I'm a good programmer with great habits." -- Kent Beck

Unrelated: Here's a great playlist to wake up to.