Running is a great way to stay in shape, but like any aspect of looking after yourself, it’s hard to stick to. It gets your heart going, it’ll burn through fat, but it’s also hard on the knees and can leave you feeling aching. It’s very easy to say, “I’ll just skip it today”, blink, and realise you haven’t worn those trainers for a month. If you’re having trouble sticking to your running routine, take a look at our tips to make you keep going.
Push past the first five minutes
Yes, the first five minutes are hell on earth. You’re going to wonder why you’re doing this. You’re going to want to stop. You’re going to seriously consider stopping. For a full five minutes, you’ll think about never running again. And then you push past it, and the skies clear, and suddenly it’s a lot easier. And don’t get us wrong, five minutes is a long time. Five minutes in front of the TV is nothing, but five minutes running feels like millennia. Push past it and you’ll be glad you did.
Find some motivation
Find yourself a marathon to race in. If you choose the right event with the right team of mass participation sports organisers running it, you can keep yourself motivated with the idea of crossing a finish line supported by a team of event organisers that will keep things running smoothly. You need a goal to keep yourself training. A marathon or race is a great option and they usually double as fundraisers so yeah, tell yourself that the charity of your choice will suffer without your running. Whatever gets you to do it.
Then again, sometimes that’s simply not it. Whether your motivations are vain, like wanting a flat stomach, or smart or scary, like wanting to be healthier, or you’re simply bored, if it gets you running, grab hold of it.
A good way to motivate yourself is with some entertainment. Running is entirely a physical activity, which suits some people. A lot of people run to stop thinking, but if you’re not built like that, download some podcasts or audiobooks and only allow yourself to listen to them on your run.
Start slow
But don’t go running headfirst into the horizon if that simply isn’t you. Build up to it. Even a fast walk is better than nothing but consider sticking to the treadmill for an easier time running, or a jog, or even put the incline right up and huff your way up an imaginary hill. Try the 12-3-30 workout to get you started.
Run for longer on the weekend
Look, we get it. You’ve come in from your 9-5, you didn’t have the energy this morning, whatever energy you had is now absorbed by work, you would love to do anything but go out on a run. Go run anyway. But we will say you can allow yourself a shorter run if you make up for it at the weekend. Go your shorter runs during the week so that you don’t allow yourself to fall out of your routine or habit, but take it seriously at the weekend when you have the time and the energy and no excuses.
