Running is one of the most efficient and effective ways to burn calories and stay in good shape. Running is free, can be done anywhere, and burns a lot more calories than most mainstream exercises. Regular running can help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. It can also help boost your mood and keep the weight under control. But even though we all know that running is effective, it is very easy to resist. Here’s how to keep motivated while running. A motivational dip can cause a decline in your running regularity, speed, and distance, and finding the drive to keep on running can be a huge psychological struggle. Gaining motivation to run and maintain it might seem tough, however, with the right tips and techniques, you’ll be able to keep on running for many years to come. In this article, I’m going to give you the top tips to keep motivated while running;
#1 START SLOWLY
If you are a beginner or you haven’t been active for some time, you should consider building your fitness levels first. To avoid injuries and enjoy the running experience, it’s essential to slowly ease yourself into running, and then increase your speed and distances gradually over several outings. You can start each of your runs with 5 minutes warm-up; this can include knee lifts, climbing stairs, quick walking, or side-stepping. When you start running, try and alternate between walking and running during your sessions. Your running will gradually improve as the body adapts to the consistent training stimulus.
#2 FIND A RUNNING BUDDY OR GROUP
This is one of my favorite tips. Try and find a friend or a group to run with. Find someone who you love conversing with so that you can always look forward to the runs together. It helps to have a running buddy who’s reliable too so that neither of you misses your runs. You can take your social running a step further by joining a running group or club. You are more likely to run without stopping if you are around others who are driving towards the same goal.
Most running clubs have running groups for various levels, including newbies or beginners. Running clubs are also an excellent way to find a running buddy to run with outside of the club sessions. You should also consider frequenting your local running store to meet other runners. Most running store employees and owners usually have a great passion for running and are great motivators. If a buddy or a local group/club isn’t available, you can check out online communities for encouragement and support.
#3 KEEP YOUR RUNS ENJOYABLE
If you follow the same running routine over and over, it might soon get boring. You can re-energize your runs by changing things up. Change your run routines and make some modifications with new terrains and new timings. You can also vary your distances and pace by alternating faster, shorter runs, with slower, longer runs. These types of changes will make your surroundings much more interesting, and the new terrains will challenge you in new ways. These variations are relatively easy to incorporate and can help keep motivation while running.
#4 LISTEN TO YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC WHEN RUNNING
One of the things I like doing when running is listening to my favorite songs. It makes my runs more exciting and gives me something to focus on. Listening to your favorite music alleviates boredom whilst distracting you from muscular pains and exhaustion. Moreover, when you put together a list of your favorite songs, you’ll always look forward to running to it.
#5 REWARD YOURSELF
Every now and then, you should give yourself a reward; you can treat yourself to new running gear, a nice massage (this also helps prevent injuries), or you can even buy some new songs/tunes to add to your playlist. The reward will make you feel more energized and will reinforce your commitment to your running routine.
#6 KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS
You can use an online or written log to track your runs. There’s nothing as motivating as seeing your miles pile up. Note down each of your runs including the routes, time of day, distance, time traveled, comments about how you felt, and weather conditions. By doing this, you can look back and get encouraged by just how much you have improved, whenever your motivation takes a dip.
CONCLUSION
All the above tips can help beginners and those starting to get back to training after a long holiday in this new year to keep motivated while running despite all the hard work, pains, and injuries associated with running. Remember to celebrate your small successes and make use of all the other motivation tips to achieve your goals. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.