Top 5 Ways to Keep on Running

Feeling run down? Use these tips to start up your running again

By: Lauren Keating

Every runner knows how great is feels to shed their worries—and unwanted weight—by hitting the pavement. Your mind wanders off in a state of bliss, while paradoxically, your body is being pushed to its physical limits. While there are a million reasons why runners love to run, sometimes we need one single reason to continue to run.

It is common for runners to hit the motivational wall. We can become bored with the same routine and the solitude running brings, or feel no motivation to lace up at all. Somewhere deep inside of every runner lies the drive that launches our legs. Dig out your inner determination with these five ways to keep calm and run on.

Find a fun run

Trekking down the same trails can become visually uninteresting. When the body becomes exhausted, it is the mind that keeps us going. If your thinking about the same landmarks you see every day, you might begin to drag your feet with boredom. All runners have their favorite routes, but exploring a different path will keep things fresh and fun. Change up your playlist, explore somewhere new, and don’t worry about pace or distance. Run just to run. 

Sign up for a race

Setting goals forces you to keep yourself accountable when it comes to logging in miles. Registering for 5 or 10k is the perfect way for newbies to keep up their new healthy habit. (Check out “Run, Forrest, Run,” to pick up the lingo.) Long distance runners should aim for a half-marathon , those more experienced should go for the full 26.2 miles. These goals will encourage you to hit the ground running. Scheduling a race will mean that you have to be properly prepared with the right training. Crushing your goals will inspire your to keep reaching for more goals. Then, you can wear that medal proudly.

Get new gear

The more you become engaged in the running world, the more you find yourself wanting to dress the part. You might find that sporting your new jogging leggings and dry-fit tee will motivate you to get back in the swing of things. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology showed the relationship between “enclothed cognition,” or the clothes people chose to wear and it’s psychological influence. You will feel good about yourself and be in a more positive mood—and ready and willing to workout—if you put on your new sports bar with the matching color sneakers than if you were planning on exercising in a frumpy oversized tee and baggy sweats.

It is recommended to change your running shoes every 200 to 300 miles, or about every six months. Flexing your feet in some new kicks could give you that extra kick in the butt. Go on and give them a test run!

Remind and Reflect

Running provides the perfect time for reflection. The seclusion will make you feel very alone and very connected strangely at the same time. Allow your thoughts to flow and concentrate on deep breathing. Let your mind wonder off and stop thinking about how far you have gone and how far you still have to go. Shed the guilt you have for not keeping up your running—along with all your frustrations and fears— in the beads of sweat that leaves your body. Use this time to remind yourself what it is you love about running. What is it that you love about yourself? Reflection can ignite a spark deep inside, and you may begin to remember why you started out on this lifestyle trail in the first place.

Buddy Up

Since running if a self body-mind endeavor, it is no secret that it can get a little lonely. Having a running partner will encourage you to push yourself out on the pavement—when all you want to do is stay in bed. Meeting a buddy for a daily or weekly run will make you hold yourself accountable. As you run together, you will be able to work off of each other’s energy. If your running buddy is a more seasoned runner, you will start to push yourself to new limits. If you are the stronger or faster runner, you can coach on your newbie friend and share all your experiences. This could lead to you rediscovering why you began running in the first place. You secretly will be working on breathing and pace through the “talk test,” as the two of you chat throughout the route.