October 16, 2023 No Comments
Welcome to Race The Machine’s 4 Rules to Stay Motivated and Keep Running. It is easy to find endless sources of detailed information about running. From articles and books, coaches and apps, to other runners at your place of work or club – there is no shortage of running advice, information, and inspiration. Is this wealth of available information always helpful?
Some of you will follow training plans and have success with that. Many will make up your training schedules as you go along. Some will be new to running. What we all have in common is that each of us is trying to stay motivated, keep running, and (whisper it) maybe even get faster.
But running regularly can prove to be hard; particularly when facing the many challenges that come throughout life. So regardless of your ability and running experience; what are the fundamental, simple, choices that you can make to keep hitting the road, trails, and treadmill? Here is Race The Machine’s 4 rules to stay motivated and keep running…
Rule No.1 Keep It Simple
The beauty of running is in its simplicity and accessibility. You don’t need to have much money, or talent to start, and there are no barriers in terms of background. Compared to many sports It is also not difficult to take up running when older. The vast majority of us can work at getting better at running and see impressive results. This is because, as terrestrial beings; moving across the land on foot is at the core of who we are. Yes, running is a sport, but it is much more fundamental to us than that.
Ten pairs of running shoes, a very expensive Garmin, bone conductor earphones, and a Strava subscription are all very nice to have. It is also great to follow a training plan. But in truth; there are very few requirements apart from a good pair of running shoes, comfortable clothing, and a training log. Everything else is about your preferences and mindset. Don’t overcomplicate things and create barriers and hostages to fortune in your training. To stay motivated and keep running you should connect with the universality of running. Keep it simple.
Rule No.2 Set Achievable Targets
We all benefit from achievable long-term targets. Race The Machine was set up to grow this simple concept, provide motivation and a real sense of achievement to runners of all abilities through achievable time targets. Many runners also find motivation in aiming for a specific time or personal best in races like the London Marathon, or Great Scottish Run.
Achievable short term (weekly) targets are also important. Resetting and starting afresh each week breaks your training down into manageable chunks. It also creates a regular sense of achievement and stops negativity building when you don’t reach your target. A new week is always just around the corner. To stay motivated and keep running: set achievable long term and weekly targets.
Rule No.3 Have Fun
Running is a very simple activity, and it can and should be challenging. It certainly doesn’t need to be a continuous austere slog though. This can be avoided by making things interesting whenever you can. There are many straightforward ways to do that.
The core of your running week should be easy pace long and short runs, (with rest days). But do you vary the surfaces you run on, or exclusively stick to roads? Do you increase your pace with fartleks and fast finishes, or are you always stuck in the same gear? Do you include hills or are you always running on the flat? Are you regularly attending your local parkrun or running club, or do you always run alone? Do you sometimes listen to music and podcasts? Are you moving up on the leader board on a local Strava segment or in Race The Machine?
To stay motivated and keep running: keep things fresh, make things interesting whenever when you can, and have fun!
Rule No.4 #KeepChasing
So you are keeping it simple, have set achievable targets, and you are having fun with your training. That won’t be enough to keep you motivated and running though. As whilst you work towards your targets, you will get tired, you will get wet, you will get hot, and you will get cold. It will get dark, and the wind will blow.
You may have more important things to do than run – you may have better things to do than run. You will likely have to navigate your way around extendable dog leads, negative comments, and (annoyingly) cars parked on footpaths. Tough times in life may overwhelm you. Sometimes you will just feel like putting your feet up.
To stay motivated and keep running you must continually choose to keep chasing your targets through the good and bad. If you do that; over the weeks and months you will be able to run further and you will be able to run faster – no ifs, no buts. Training is about momentum and a positive trajectory will (over time) bring results and the miles and kilometres will become increasingly enjoyable.
The simultaneously unavoidable and empowering truth is that each new year, month, week, and day starts with a choice. Choose to keep chasing.
Here are those 4 rules to stay motivated and keep running again…
- Keep it simple
- Set achievable targets
- Have Fun
- Keep Chasing
These 4 rules inspired the Race The Machine Black and Red Running Challenges. It would be great to have you with us in 2024.
Michael – Founder of Race The Machine