Did you take the winter off from pounding the pavement? In my experience, lots of people find the monotony of the treadmill unbearable and do other workouts when the roads are covered with snow and ice. Now that the weather’s warming, here are a few tips to get back into running. If you’re the type who walks for exercise, these tips apply to you, too!

• Start slow! If you haven’t done much running over the winter, don’t think you can start back where you left off. Build mileage and speed slowly to ensure injury-free running.

• Take a look at what’s on your feet. Now is a great time to invest in a new paid of running shoes if you haven’t replaced yours in a while. You won’t be putting on mileage as you will later in the season, so you can break in your shoes and your body at the same pace. The general rule of thumb for shoes is the same as car tires: You should see tread.

• Mix it up. Try to run a combo of trail and street paths. Both offer different challenges and benefits. A combination of trail and street running will prime your body for different outputs and help you get back into shape quickly.

• Remember to stretch really well after every run. You’re going to use muscles that haven’t been used in a while. Make sure you stretch well after every run — and every workout — to help avoid unnecessary injuries and soreness.

• Hydrate before and after your run. Getting back into an old routine can be a shock to the system. Make sure you hydrate well before and after your run to replenish what you sweat out.

Melissa Gerharter MS, RD is co-owner of Joust Strength and Fitness of Ann Arbor, joustfitness.com. She is also a personal trainer and an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University. She can be reached at Melissa@joustfitness.com.