If you find yourself feeling bored, tired and suffering from a lack of motivation, don’t panic - it’s something every runner experiences at some point. Here are seven hacks that will help you rediscover your motivation and enjoy running again.
1. Run with other people
If you are finding it harder and harder to head out of the door for a run, then it might be time to get yourself a running partner or join a local club. Training with other people increases motivation and you can help each other through the days you don’t feel like running. It’s also much easier to talk yourself out of going for a run than it is to let down your running partner or cancel a commitment you have made to attend a club meet. Running with company will also help the time pass quicker during your run and chatting to them along the way will help prevent boredom.
2. Use an app when running
There are no shortage of apps out there for runners. Whether you want to compete against other runners, track your distance, or run from a zombie apocalypse - there’s an app for it. If you’re running has become a little mundane recently, hit the app store and try out a few different options to see what works for you. Some runners find it difficult to monitor their work rate and progress from their gut feeling alone, so a tracking app can help them to see their speed, distance traveled, and the calories they have burned. An app might be exactly what you need to step up your training and beat last week’s run…
3. Listen to music
Music is one of the best motivators out there and if you are looking for ways to make running more enjoyable, then you should introduce it to your training. Make a playlist that works for you - include some of your favorites and some inspirational songs that you can call on to give you the motivation to keep going during difficult times on your run. Music can provide a welcome distraction from fatigue and boredom and, according to Zest magazine, 77 per cent of people think they work harder when listening to music.
4. Complete shorter sessions
If you have been running for a while, your motivation might waver because you’re doing too many long runs, in which case you should introduce some shorter sessions to your training. Include some fartlek, sprint or interval sessions to your training to help you rediscover your love for running. The shorter sessions will energise you and the variety in your training should help prevent boredom. Other benefits include improvements to your stamina and endurance capabilities.
5. Barefoot running
Sometimes, to rediscover your motivation it’s best to go back to basics, and barefoot running is one example of this. In today’s world, technology plays a large part in many people’s running and while it can bring performance benefits, it can also take away from the feelings that first inspired you to run. Recapture that feeling of freedom and try running barefoot along soft land such as a beach. Research has found that running barefoot can help you achieve better running posture and can help avoid injury. Just remember to run in an area where you can see what’s on the ground in front of you, to avoid injury.
6. Blogs
One of the best ways to boost your motivation and record your running progress is to blog about it. Through blogging, you can receive support and encouragement from other runners and connect with them to share training advice and motivate each other. On those days where you might be struggling with motivation, you can look back at your blog posts and see just how far you have come. Why not join the realbuzz community and see just how much of a difference blogging and support from fellow runners can make?
7. Have a break from running
Often the best way to revitalise your run is to take a break from the activity. Obviously we are not saying that you should throw in the towel on exercise altogether, but instead try cross training to maintain your fitness. Perhaps there is a sport you have been wanting to try for awhile, such as yoga, cycling or swimming, but have been unable to because of your running schedule. Give yourself a chance to take part in other forms of exercise and when you do start running again, you’ll likely find that you return feeling energised and that you enjoy your run more.