Basic Fitness (what do you NEED to do?)

Well, let's get a fresh start underway. I for one would like to see a lot more topics geared towards safe practice and proper training (as opposed to throwing yourself off a roof at 100 feet).
So, how about this to start. Just a light topic on our own individual training. What we do to warm up. How we like to train for the running. And any other little tips and advice to beginners who want a foundation to start on.

Here's one to start you off:
Light fitness regimen: Main aim is to increase general cardiovascular effectiveness and to slowly prepare the joints for continued stress over a two month period.
This is not a day to day program and can be chopped and changed to the users choice.
Warm up: Fast paced walk for a few minutes breaking into a gentle jog. The jog should last for about five minutes and leave the runner with a very light sweat. Follow with gentle stretching exercises (preferably dynamic stretching) and ensuring the body doesn't cool too much while you stretch.
Session body: Start the session either from the head down or legs up, don't chop and change all over the place because you won't get the full use from your muscles.
These are the exercises I recommend to start; Pushups (Shoulder width, then close palmed, then wide armed). Situps (Cruches, full situps and oblique situps). Back extensions. Squats. Lunges. Burpees are also a good all round exercise, but can put strain on the knees.
Do each exercise at least with a single set of ten. If you don't feel like it's doing enough, add more sets.
Warm down: warm down in the reverse of the warm up, light jog to fast walk, then stretch slowly and carefully afterwards.
Tips: The warm down is the most important part of your training, it prepares the body to repair itself after what you just put it through. If you aren't warmed down properly you will not repair properly and you'll get cramps and injuries as a result. Always take water on while training, carry some with you wherever you decide to train.