Hello running pals! How was your weekend run? Once again, we’re having some beautiful weather in Philly, which always makes running much more enjoyable. This week, I logged in 25 miles for Marathon Training, including a great Saturday 12 miler (thanks to Lee, Jessica and Angela for helping keep the pace!). And, despite great weather, I will admit to a bit of motivational challenge getting a Monday run …before it actually turned out to be a great 7 miler! With that, there are A LOT of reasons not to run!
- ‘I’m too busy’ … ‘I don’t have time’
- ‘I’m too tired’
- ‘It’s too hot’
- ‘It’s too cold’
- 'It's raining'
- 'It might rain'
- 'It's windy'
- ‘My blank hurts’
- 'There's something good on TV and I don't want to watch it on DVR'
- ‘I would, but I need to ‘insert random unimportant task keeping you from running’
- (I'm sure you have some even more creative reasons!)
I always say, ‘the hardest part about running is tying your shoes’.There are lots of reasons that always come up which can derail your training schedule and running plans. So, this week, I've found some good ways to help keep runners on the road and track for the next race. Whether you just want to increase your distance or you’re training for a Fall race, now is the time to establish a good rhythm and running habit. So, thanks to some tips from active.com, womensrunning.com, asics.com, here are some great ideas to keep you lacing your shoes regularly!
REGISTER FOR YOUR RACE
If you haven't already registered, now is the time to sign up for your next 5k, 8k, 10k, 15k, Half Marathon,Full Marathon or even The Gritty 5k. Paying the money and making the firm commitment will help you stay on track on those days you don't feel like running. It helps if you tell your friends you're running a race, because you won't want to embarrass yourself by backing out!
SET WEEKLY GOALS AND SCHEDULE YOUR RUNS
Set goals and create a weekly schedule. At the beginning of Marathon training season, I always schedule every single run for the entire training period, including target mileage. Then, I log my actual mileage vs scheduled and review at the end of the week. This helps keep me accountable to myself and helps serve as a constant reminder on those occasions where my mind wants to find excuses not to run.
RUN WITH A FRIEND OR GROUP
As I've noted in this blog several times, running groups are great! With a running group, running becomes more fun and you develop an accountability to your other group members to show up for scheduled runs. (After my first Marathon training cycle, I actually felt some malaise once our training runs ended as they became one of the most enjoyable parts of my week!). If a running group doesn't fit into your routine, recruit a friend to sign up for your race and train together!
REWARD YOURSELF
As noted on active.com, "According to Paige Dunn, a sport psychology consultant based in the San Francisco Bay area, it is important to understand exactly what motivates you to train for a particular race in the first place. Perhaps you overcame an obstacle in your life or are in the process of doing so. Maybe completing a marathon has been a lifelong dream or you want to support your favorite charity. No matter the reason, a solid understanding of why you want to run will motivate you even when times get tough." Think about your running goals and why you run to begin with and make a deal with yourself that if you reach a certain goal, you will reward yourself with whatever it is that motivates you!
THE HARDEST PART OF RUNNING IS LACING YOUR SHOES
Always remind yourself that the 'the hardest part of running is lacing your shoes'. Unless, there's a legit thunder storm or you have a legit injury or really have an unusually big project due tomorrow, you will feel much better about yourself if you actually get out and run, rather than come up with reasons not too!
Hopefully this helps keep you motivated and if you have any other tricks or tips to keep you on the running path, tweet me @Radio1045Johnny