Some days I don’t want to run…at all and finding running motivation on a bad day can be really hard.
I get it, sometimes motivating yourself to run is easier said than done, especially if you’ve had a bad day, mustering the will power to go workout can prove to be just another hurdle to get over. If you’re dedicated to working out, good for you and you may know some of these tricks but maybe you need a pick me up?
Whatever the case, we’ll get motivated and back out there together.
Living a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise is important but let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done and staying motivated is probably the biggest complaint I’ve heard from a lot of people when they first start their workout regimen. Here’s how I find my running motivation when I’ve had a bad day and some other tricks to try!
1. Try New Routes
Whether you’re a trail or road runner, try changing it up. Choose a new location, one you haven’t run in a while, or one that you’ve been wanting to try in your area. If you’ve never tried trail running, give it a go, wanted to test out the local track then incorporate a running workout in there. Of course, be as safe as you can and know what you should avoid but a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered to get you more motivated and excited about going out. Plus, new routes challenge your brain and your running technique and can often lead to a more dynamic workout, just make sure you don’t try and get a personal best before you know the route and take it too fast, you are more likely to injure yourself this way.
2. Music Playlists
Make a playlist of your favourite music and choose upbeat, fast-paced music to keep you going and make you want to move, if you can dance to it, you can run to it. There are plenty of apps on your phone like Spotify, Deezer or Pandora, that you can subscribe too if you have limited storage or you can just create a playlist on your phone or iPod. There’s no right or wrong way to do this! Just throw together a good playlist and start running! Check out my
10k motivational playlist for some great ideas and Beats per minute that are the most motivational!
3. Take a Friend
Having a workout partner not only holds you accountable, but will help motivate you. Seeing someone else have fun and be successful in their workout will help you out immensely and adds a bit of friendly competition to spark your fire too. So, give your friend a call and ask them to join you for a run, or you could kick this up a notch by putting together a whole group of friends and jog or run together! Running clubs are also a great option for running motivation and I joined one recently so have a search around your local area, you might be surprised at just how easy it is to find people to run with!
5. Involve the Family
I have recently gotten the toddler involved in running and he loves it! he motivates me to go out to a Sunday morning
Parkrun because he wants too and although it’s not my most challenging workout of the week it is definitely helpful for getting the mileage up. So, if you’ve got children, a spouse or sibling that is interested in working out, bring them along. Just like taking your friends, being around your family can help motivate you even on your worst days. Not only will it help strengthen family bonds, but it gets all of you out of the house and gets your blood pumping.
What are some ways that you stay motivated while working out? Do you have any great tips for running motivation? Let me know down in the comments if you’ve tried any of these techniques or if there’s any that you want to add! Thanks for stopping by, I hope you’re more motivated by this post! Now, get up, go outside and get running!