This article was published on June 24th, 2013
Photo credit: Jay Minter
There are many great benefits to running – it gives you energy, it’s part of a healthy lifestyle, stress relief, and for long distance runners, you can eat anything you want and not feel guilty! Sometimes you just need some motivation to get out there, like on cold, rainy mornings, Thursday after work when everyone else is heading to the neighbourhood pub for a pint, or Sunday mornings when you could be home watching cartoons. Here are 9 things to get you motivated to run:
- Sign up for a race. Knowing you have a goal with a hard deadline will keep you focused.
- Join a run club. A running group will keep you accountable and it’s hard to skip when people are expecting you to be there.
- Appreciate every run. Some runs are better than others. There are plateaus throughout training. Each run should have a take-away.
- Focus on the positive. You’re out, having fun, enjoying the scenery, and getting fresh air. Push the “can’t” and “never” words out of your head.
- Enjoy the pain. A good run should have a least a little pain to remind you how hard you are working towards your goal. It’s a friendly reminder of your dedication. No pain; no gain.
- Just get out there. Don’t waste time thinking about going for a run; just put your shoes on and get out there.
- Buy yourself a great running outfit. When you have nice clothing you’ll want to show it off, and the only way to do that is to go running.
- Listen to your body. Try to turn off the music for a bit and listen to your breathing, heart, and feet. These are important to listen to and understand while you run.
- Keep a running journal. Log your time, distance, heart rate, and calories burned. It’s amazing how fast it adds up.
