9 Ways To Get And Stay Motivated

Motivation is a key driver in achieving our running goals

You can lay out the most ambitious plans you like but if you don't stay motivated then you won't achieve them. It's a bit of a 'catch 22' situation though as motivation is driven by success itself. Success of course is relative and we determine what that is ourselves. It's one of the factors that will keep you motivated but there are others and we'll discuss them here.

---

Follow a plan

We say it on this site many times, but that's because we believe it underpins everyone's running training; follow a plan!

Without a Training Plan your training is likely to have no structure and the essential four principles of training may not be followed. Plans don't have to followed to the letter, but they are essential guidance that should steer you training, whatever the distance. Check out this post to find out more.

If you don't follow a Plan you are likely to 'drift' through your training, with little or no focus and you're unlikely to hit your essential interim goals.

Set goals

Interim goals are a key motivational tool. You shouldn't just focus on the end goal, focus on goals along the way. If weight loss is your focus and you have a number you want to achieve then break it down and celebrate each of these interim achievements. These goals will be within your training plan. If you have a 16 week plan for example, take the goal at the end of every two weeks to give yourself eight interim goals. This is far more motivational than simply focusing on the end game.

Our post on setting goals gives you lots of detail.

Take breaks

It is essential to not only make sure you follow the rest days in your plan to the letter, but also to build breaks into your schedule. Contingencies are important in case you get ill at any stage, but also just to give your body a break for a few days. This isn't as important if you're following a shorter 5km or 10km plan, but for a half or full marathon training plan it is particularly important.

Take a break from your running and either take a complete rest from exercise or try some cross training. Three or four days complete rest will have no negative impact on your running training, but the upside could be significant for your motivation.

Establish a routine

Your training plan will give you a structure around which you can build a routine and it's really important that you do this as early as you can on your running journey.

Developing a routine that works for your lifestyle is likely to make your runs less of a chore and just a normal part of your day. You can of course adjust your routine if you think it's not quite working for you, but the routine itself means you're less likely to skip sessions because you 'can't fit them in'. Some runners prefer an early morning run, some prefer going after dinner and those who work from home might prefer around lunchtime. Whatever works for you needs to become your routine. If something else crops up now and again then you can of course move your run, but try and build a schedule in your life that allows your run to be part of your daily routine, just like dropping the kids off at school, or getting the train to work is part of your routine.

Run with others

Running can be a very solitary activity. Many of us do the bulk of our running on our own and this often be a very lonely experience that seems to be worse in bad weather! Running with others isn't always easy given that we can all run at different speeds, but it does have real benefits, even if periodically.

Why not check out a local running club, or unofficial running groups that operate in most towns and cities and join one of these every couple of weeks. You don't have to join them for all their runs, just now and again. They will generally have groups for runners of different speeds and even within those groups there will small numbers that run at the same pace.

Our post on running with others goes into the pros and cons of running with others. It's definitely worth a read.

Reward yourself

There's nothing better at the end of a distance event to be awarded your medal and then collect a T shirt and a host of other goodies as you pass the finish line. It's the recognition of your achievements, both on race day and the training that you completed to get there.

Why not enter a virtual event as part of your training and get some extra rewards ahead of your big day. If you're not training for an event, but are more focused on a weight loss goal there is even more reason to have a go at a virtual event. These can be done locally and the medals and T shirts that are offer can be really impressive. If you're into your bling this is a great way of boosting your collection!

Look after yourself

The longer your training plan, the more stress you'll be putting your body under. It is really important that you learn to look after yourself and that you don't regard rest days or sessions at the physio as any kind of weakness. These days are critically important days and without them you will not perform at your best.

Don't just regard your physio as a place to go when you're injured. Book in for a sports massage and give your muscles a well deserved treat. The vast majority of runners don't do this, but the more you train, the more important it is. The better you feel (and a sports massage will make you feel so much better!) the higher your motivation.

Fundraise

If you're not fundraising during your current running endeavour then you should seriously think about doing so. There is nothing more motivational than raising money for your favourite charity. Not only will you be doing good, but you'll also be (hopefully) setting another goal and achieving it.

If you have your own entry in your next event you don't need to set a large target. Why not start with £100. Set up a fundraising page, put £100 as your target and let your friends and family have the link. Use social media and generate some buzz around what you're doing. When you hit £100 increase it to £200 and keep going. You'll be at £500 in no time and imagine the motivation you'll get from that.

Success

Success is of course one of the ultimate motivators. It's one of the major reasons why many runners do another event after their first and then another...

The key during training is to create the opportunities for success that then act as motivators for the next phase of your training. These interim goals can be a combination of running and fundraising goals and if you follow our tips above you're very likely to achieve them. Get into a routine, run with others, reward and look after yourself and most importantly of all, follow a plan!

Have you any thoughts on how we could add to our 9 ways to get and stay motivated?

We'd love to hear from you and how we can add to our 9 ways to get motivated...and stay motivated.