It has been a little while since I had a really good series of runs. From a batch of injuries to lack of motivation, I am only really getting back into serious running now. I was certainly lacking motivation.
To get myself going again, I started slowly, limiting myself to build up to an easy 5km. That began to give a base, as well as reminding me why I liked running. I am now building up to regular 10km runs through a training plan, with an aim to get back to my usual bank of 3 x 10km and 1 x long run a week.
For me, my process to get motivation back was:
- Remind yourself why you run (e.g. keeping fit, reduce stress, loose weight, get out of the office/house).
- Start slow and short. This will help regain stamina, confidence and enjoyment. The hardest bit is getting out the door!
- Build up slowly. If you rush you will likely get injured, and back to square one.
- Mix up your routes. Don’t always run the same route, aim for variation, as well as a mix of surfaces. Trail running is great, as is multi-surface running which you will encounter on longer runs. Go exploring.
- Regularly review your runs and remind yourself of your progress.
- Mix in some cross training – cycle, swim, weight training, yoga, etc. This will help minimise injuries due to running overload, as well as help with variation.
- Enjoy yourself! Don’t worry too much about speed/time, just run and enjoy.