Where do I start?

I'm not sure who is reading these posts and where you are at personally. So forgive me if this seems really basic. If you have not run on a regular basis in a very long time then this one is probably for you! Start training for a 5K. Training for something is so great to help you to stick with a training program. It is the end goal. It will give you a focus, a time frame etc. So, find one that looks fun and get going! Beginner 5K plans generally pair walking and running to build up endurance so that by the time you get to race day you are ready to comfortably jog the 3.1 miles the entire way. Here is a look at what a beginner 5K plan looks like: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Here are some other good beginner tips:
1. To start, run every other day for a few days (up to 2 weeks), to see how you feel. This will let you asses if you have some old injuries that still need to heal. If you feel good after a couple work outs you can add additional days. Do keep at least 1 day of solid rest (Sunday for most of us) to let your body heal. I generally rest on Sunday and will do a very light work out on Thursday or Friday to gear up for a big Saturday.
2. Be consistent! Pick the days you will run and pick the times you know you will go.
3. Listen to your body and your aches and pains. Don't run through the pain unless you know why you have the pain.
4. To increase distance a few rules of thumb: add up to 20% distance to your long run for 2-3 weeks in a row then step back and recover for one week. So for example, when I am training for a marathon I will have long runs that look like this--10 miles, 12 miles, 12 miles, 14 miles, 5 miles, 16 miles, 18 miles, 20 miles, 10 miles. Build, build, build, recover.
5. Another rule of thumb (probably only applies to a 10K and beyond): your mid week miles should be half your total miles for the week. So maybe my 30 mile week will look like this: Day 1- 6 miles, Day 2- 3 miles, Day 3-6 miles, Day 4-Rest, Day 5-Rest or light cardio, Day 6- 15 miles.
6. Fueling for the workout deserves its own post but here are some basics: eat 100-200 calories an hour or two before you go (general rule is 100 calories per hour before the run). Eat simple carbs. Toast with peanut butter. Half a banana. That is my go to meal. Don't drink a lot right before starting out. Instead, make an effort to be well hydrated throughout the day and hold of drinking an hour before the run. Remember to replenish right after you are done. Hydrate! Protein and carb. Hot chocolate or chocolate milk is the BEST post run recovery drink. Drink it up!
5. Last, run because you love it. Run because you need it. Run because it is cheaper than therapy. This is such a cliche saying but oh my so true. This deserves its own post too!

Advice adapted from here: http://www.active.com/running/Articles/10_Steps_to_Start_Running.htm