Motivation: What brings you on track

Yesterday I went for a run around the Stausee in Haltern and my legs felt like pudding. I just wasn’t fit, I was puffed and struggled to get through the whole distance. Probably it was due to a lack of sleep on the weekend or because I haven’t had a lot of water yesterday. Well, however I got myself out for a run and after all I was proud of myself, although the time wasn’t my best:
http://runkeeper.com/userQuissel/activity/132194528
 

With reference to Natasha's comment I'd like to dedicate today's post to motivation factors which will help you to stick to the habit of running.

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Did you always wanted to start running, but always found it too boring or couldn’t bring yourself to doing it? Do you feel uncomfortable with your weight and body and always wanted to start running to loose some weight? Are you one of those, who always find excuses to not get your ass up and get it into your running shoes? Or are you a running beginner who has his first phase of low motivation, because you’re seeing no (further) effects on your training or weight loss?

Well, here’s the thing: There are always thousands of reasons for not going out for a run: catching up with friends you haven’t seen for weeks, stress at work, a full calendar, a bad night’s sleep, the TV programme, being lazy, and and and…
I could carry on for hours. And to calm your mind: Even me, as a fascinated and frequent runner has those lazy days, searching for reasons to not go out. And that’s ok, as long as it’s not becoming a habit. Staying motivated to run is one of the problems which faces many runners. Whether you are a novice runner or a runner who has been running for years, it can be difficult to stay motivated to run on a regular basis. If you are like most runners, you have likely faced a lack of motivation at least once in your running career.

Staying motivated with your running and training is a challenge, but you’ll see that most of the times you feel so much better after running – on days when you looking forward to running and even more on days when you had to push yourself out.   
 

Here are the top 5 motivation factors to keep you on track:

1) Setting realistic goals: it’s one of the easiest ways to stay motivated to continue running. One of the common goals runners like to use to stay motivated, is a goal of completing a race. Selecting a race and training for and competing in this event can provide a great source of motivation which can prevent a runner from abandoning a running program. You may select a long distance event such as a marathon or shorter events such as a 10K race, a 5K race or even shorter. The distance of the event you select should depend on your personal goals.

2) Improving time: When you have been running for years or if you are a frequent runner, another type of goal you may wish to set is to improve on your time, in races as well as in your normal training. For example, if you are usually running 5 km in 35 minutes, your goal might be completing it in a faster time of approx. 33 minutes. Interval training is a good way to improve your time.

3) Running buddy: Running does not have to be a solitary activity. Having a friend along can not only help to keep you motivated but can also make the runs more enjoyable. You can chat with your friend about a number of different subjects to pass the time which will make the running seem less monotonous. Another reason, running with a partner helps a runner to stay motivated is most people are likely to fulfill their obligations when someone else is counting on them. Sometimes just knowing someone is waiting to run with you can motivate you to complete your workout. In almost every big and even smaller towns there are running groups or people looking for a running partner. Runnersworld, for example offers a platform to search for running buddies, check it out: http://laufpartner.runnersworld.de/

4) Variety: If you always run the same track, the same route at the same time on a certain day, boredom is guaranteed. A better approach to running is to vary the courses you are running in terms of distance, speed, intensity and terrain regularly to keep both the mind and the body challenged.

5) Having a break: A constant and regular training is important for improving your fitness and running times, as well as taking some time off from running occasionally. I know, it may sound contradictory, but it is actually quite effective. If you feel like having two or three days off from running, but nevertheless want to do sports, cross training is the key. This means you participate another type of activity in place of running 1-2 days per week, e.g. cycling or swimming. After your brief hiatus from running you will likely find yourself recharged and less likely to give up your running program.

Believe in yourself and keep running!
Kristin

PREVIEW: My next post will be about alcohol-free beer as isotonic drink after your run. Stay tuned!

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