i gotta say, i dont think running is very important... I've been snowboarding every year for the past 6 or 7 years and i never run at the gym.
I ride a Lamaar Contact 163 with lamaar bindings and burton boots. I just went out and bought my own stuff when i was 16, without ever doing it before. I think the most important thing is to relax. I was always completely uptight and nervous, and would constantly fall. Once i learned how to just relax, loosen up, and start carving easily, the whole thing got a lot more enjoyable.
