Now that you know the basics about running, these tips from RunnerMom Vickie Leff will keep your motivation levels high.

Vivian Manning-Schaffel: The last installment of our RunnerMom series was all about mapping out a suitable route for your runs. This week, RunnerMom gives us motivating tips to stay the course.

Enlist a Running Buddy
Find a running buddy with a similar schedule and lifestyle that you can set goals with. "You don't have to run with them, just be accountable to them," says Leff. "I had a friend who vowed to run her first marathon before her 40th birthday, so I did it with her. It was my first marathon too and I won my age division -- because I was the only one in it!"

Sign Up for a Road Race
Now don't be intimidated -- most runners in 5k (3 mile) road races aren't trained triathletes. They're your average everyday person inspired by a cause. "Even if you end up walking more than running, being in a large group of people will keep your momentum going," says Leff. "It's a concrete, reachable, manageable goal and you can do it in under 45 minutes. It's not going to kill you and it gives you a deadline to train for."

Pump Up the Volume
To get in stride, there's no better motivator than a kick-ass soundtrack because, let's face it, "Running without music is boring," says Leff. Get yourself an mp3 player and load it with songs with a strong backbeat.

Look the Part
On the fence about heading out for a loop? Put on the shorts and you're more likely to make it out the door. "You want to feel comfortable and you want to feel like a real runner," says Leff. "Act as if you are a runner, because it makes you behave like a runner." Invest in the hottest new running skorts or culottes and you might find yourself inspired to log more miles.

Can't wait 'til next week for more RunnerMom info? Check out Vickie's RunnerMom page in our momlogic community for tips and info!

Vivian Manning-Schaffel has written for Babble, Parenting, The Advocate, The New York Post, Business Week and a variety of other publications and lives and works in the heart of breeder Brooklyn with her husband and two kids. She authors two pop culture blogs: The Mad Mom and A Hag Supreme, and is on the web at vivianmanningschaffel.com.