One of the hardest forms of cardio to get yourself motivated is running. The following 6 tips will help motivate you to get out of the house and ignite your inner energy to find for that much needed motivation to go for a run and most importantly, get into a routine so you can keep running on a weekly basis.
Yes, we all know that there are not enough hours in the day to fit in everything but going for a run doesn't need a set of wheels to get you too and from a venue, a simple run around the block from your door step is a perfect start to get you motivated to run. You might decide to go for a run before breakfast, when you get home from work or after dinner. Arranging the time is the first thing you need to do to motivate you to run. Once you find the time, set a weekly schedule of what days you can fit in your run. Most importantly get into a routine.
Purchasing a new pair of running shoes is a great incentive to help motivate you to run. Nothing is better than purchasing a fresh pair of runners and wearing them in when you go for a run. It's important to choose a pair of shoes which is right for your foot and feels comfortable when you run. The colour choice of a shoe is also an important factor, if the shoes look good, you feel good.
It's important when you go for a run to be harmonised by your surroundings. Running along a trail beside a river or beach is far more relaxing than running surrounded by traffic. The more relaxed you are the further you will be able to run. It's also motivating to change your locations- one week you might run around a park, the next along a beach. New locations = new motivation.
Motivational music can allow you to run for longer. Find a tune which allows you to to feel energised. If you want some motivation to run for a period of time, set aside a playlist and try and run to the complete playlist on your music player.
It is important when yo go for a run to set a goal whether it's how far you run, how long you run for, how fast you run and even how much weight you burn. To keep track of your goals, a GPS Watch which tracks distance, time, records and calories is a perfect way to keep track of your runs. Every time you set a goal and achieve it you feel great and motivated! Keep setting new goals too!
Too many times, first time runners, run too hard on their first run and get tired very quickly and mentally lose the motivation to keep running. It is important when you start running to start light. You might begin your run at a nice slow pace and add in walking intervals i.e 5 minute jog, 1 minute walk x 3. Each week you could build this into a full jog and may end up running for half an hour and build to an hour two months later and so on. Don't ever start a run too hard. Also avoid hard surfaces to allow your legs to adjust to the running as you may use muscles you have never used before. Running on grass is far better than running on concrete as your legs will absorb much less shock. Warm up and cool down which involves stretching is also essential.
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
