Running Motivation

Let's be really real about running for a second (or any type of work out, for that matter). Some days, you feel like a super human and can run seven miles even though you've never run that far in your life and have been a lazy couch potato for a week straight. Other days, you lace up your sneakers and feel like you "literally can't even" after mile 0.45 and wonder if there is something physically wrong with you that is making it seem like your legs aren't capable of moving in any sort of efficient manner. On those "other days," I'm really not sure how to get through much more than two miles and call it quits. However, for all of the other times -- the times when you feel super human and the times when you just feel like you're capable of running without dying on the side of the road -- I find myself constantly searching for motivation. Whether that motivation is needed to help me get through a light run or a new personal record, I've found a few pieces of inspiration to keep me moving.

Can you tell I like lists?

1. Get an Accountability Partner - If you follow any fitness bloggers on Instagram, I'm sure you spend half your time drooling over their abs and teeny waists and perfect glutes, and the other half being encouraged to "Tag your accountability partner below!!" Even though I'm certain that's just a not-so-clever way to gain more followers, there is definitely something to be said about having an accountability partner. Whether you run with your partner, or really far behind your partner, or you send a picture of yourself to your partner after every run, I promise that you'll feel so much more motivated to push yourself! I've seriously run an extra two miles just so my accountability partner could be like, "what the hell..???"

2. The National Secret Runners Club - This club is so secret that I'm not really sure anyone knows about it, except for me and one other member who I passed running two weeks ago. The problem is that because of how secret it is, no one knows about it. To join the club, just start giving a teeny, easy wave to the other runners you pass on your run. You'll know who else is in the club when they gesture back. Seriously though, can we make this happen? I'm still sending XOs to the runner who waved back two weeks ago. It made my run.

3. Location, Location, Location - Find a pretty place to run. I live right near Astoria Park, which is waterfront, and TOTALLY pretty during all times of the day. The park isn't huge, so I try to run some roads and finish my last two-ish miles there. I have found that I feel so much happier, more motivated, and proud when I'm running in an area I love, as opposed to through streets with a bunch of smelly trucks and rude people smoking cigarettes. 

4. Make a Playlist You Love - See here.

5. Do Whatever You Gotta Do to Stay Distracted - I read somewhere that some people listen to Audible when they run. I tried an Audible free trial once and fell asleep EVERY time I tried to listen to a book. Maybe that'll float your boat, though. Anyway, I recommend doing whatever you can do to stay distracted during your run, so you're not focusing on how far through mile 1 you are, but instead, you're planning out how to bring up a certain topic to your boss at work, or what you want to write about in your next blog post. The more you can keep your mind off the distance, the quicker you'll be done! 

7. Download the Nike Run Club App - I downloaded this app as a recommendation from my accountability partner, and couldn't imagine running without it! It's a free app that tracks your distance, elevation gain, and split times, and let's you store notes about your run to look back on. It's been really helpful on my runs to know how far I've gone without having to take a look at my phone (every mile it updates you on your distance and time), and it's really inspiring to go back and look at my notes to see how much I've improved already!

Happy running, and happy Friday-eve!