One of the main questions I get asked is:
“How do you stay motivated to run?”
Running can be really hard. I am still a novice runner and I find it intimidating every time I even think about it. Quite often I find myself making excuses for not putting on my shoes and going outside. I blame the weather, my schedule, or my mood. More than I would like to admit, I comfort myself by saying that “tomorrow’s a new day, I’ll start then”. Which is a perfectly fine mentality, except when you reassure yourself with this every day.
If you are looking to start running or pick it up again, here are some ways that I think can help you get started!
The first piece of advice I have is to sign up for a race. It can be a 5K, 10K, or a half marathon! While races in-person probably won’t start again for several more months, sign up for a virtual race! I find that signing up for a race is the best first step to trying to start running. It provides you with a goal to plan for and look forward to.
The next best step is to come up with a plan for reaching your goal. By signing up for a race you now have a distance you want to cover and a target date. Now that you have the end point on the graph, you just need to find a path to get there. I recommend you set weekly goals for yourself. Your weekly goals can be set by either time or distance, just try to stay consistent throughout your training plan. There are tons of resources on the internet for setting up or even just following an existing running plan. Modify it to suit your own schedule. I prefer to run my longer runs of the week on Saturdays and the shorter ones 2-3 times a week. This gives me a good balance and the opportunity to recover from my long run on Sunday before the work week!
Once you have set up your weekly goals, put them in a spot where you will look at the schedule regularly. This can be done in a variety of ways: setting a screenshot of your goals as your phone screensaver, in a daily agenda, or even just written out on a paper you leave by your bedside. For me, this means putting my weekly “long run” into my phone calendar. It is said that physically writing down and consistently being reminded of your goals significantly improves the likelihood that you will accomplish them. So give it a try and see what you can do!
As with any program, don’t forget to give yourself a break sometime in the middle, but try not extend that for too long. If you can’t run because you aren’t feeling well or don’t have the energy, try to take a walk instead. If you can’t walk either, it is okay to take a break and relax. Take the day or a few more to heal and recover, but try not to fall too far behind as it will affect the momentum you had in your training program.
When I first started running, I would listen to the Top 100 playlist on Spotify. But then I realized that it would be a lot more exciting if I had a personalized playlist to run to! Create a playlist specifically for your runs. Include songs that you enjoy and would pump you up. I have an ongoing playlist called “Training” from two years ago that I still add to when I find a new song! I also highly recommend exploring the world of podcasts. You will likely find a podcast on almost any topic you wish to hear about.
Pick a new route each time or stick to the same one and see how you improve over time. Explore your route preferences! I found that I liked exploring the area around my house for my shorter runs and sticking to my path for my longer runs. This way I didn’t have to constantly keep checking my watch or app to check mileage because with several previous runs, I got familiar with the landmarks to track that.
Something that I did not do intentionally, but ended up working out well was that I told my family about my running schedule. They were aware that I had long runs on Saturdays and did smaller trainings throughout the week. This way, I felt accountable for my own schedule and goals. I suggest you tell someone so they can help you stay on track!
Last, but not least, do not forget to reward yourself. This can be after any benchmarks you decide, but be sure to buy yourself a nice pair of running shoes or a running outfit. I recommend that you reward yourself after you have accomplished a smaller goal instead of before you begin training so that you feel good while you are running in it, but also know that you achieved something to wear it. Same goes for any new gear: upgraded headphones, a new watch, a running belt. Try the long run first without these aids and see how you feel. You will appreciate those items a lot more after you have done so.
All of these factors are just some tips to help you get started. Once you start on your journey, you will realize methods that help you stay motivated. Maybe you will feel inspired by something you see or experience. Maybe you realize you can run and it opens new doors for you! Maybe you make a new friend who can run with you so you join your goals with someone else’s to keep each other going. Whatever it may be, give it a start and you will find ways to keep yourself motivated once you have a goal!
Writing this blog post has made me realize that I need a new goal to train for in my fitness journey. With the quarantine, it has become even easier for me to skip out on exercising and striving for the larger goals I have without setting smaller goals. Stay tuned for the next (virtual) race that I will sign up to train for this summer!
