The answer, I have to say, isn't as straightforward or as obvious as anything I have read in any of my books or running articles. In fact, I'm not even 100% sure what the answer is! There were definately a lot of influencing factors, the first of which was a very good friend who was (and is) a keen runner. One evening, as we were having a quick drink down the local pub, she mentioned that she was signing up for the Eastbourne half marathon, but that she really wanted someone to run with. Full of
Hard, is the answer. Very, very hard! Now, I have to admit that I was a little delusional about the state of my fitness. At school, I had been very active and into sports - I regularly swum, kayaked and went horse riding, and when I entered the running events on sports day each year, I generally did OK. That was, of course, at school. From college onwards, the sport had steadily declined as my social life and partying steadily increased. In my head however, once fit... always fit! I also had no idea how long a half marathon was - the word 'half' makes it sound deceptively small (I seemed to not notice there was also the word 'marathon' involved!). In fact, it wasn't until my friend invited me along for an 'easy' 10 mile run - only a few weeks before the race - that it bcame apparent I was NOT ready for this!
'10 miles... thats.. ummm.. from my house to....' was my reply. My face, when given the answer, said it all. Yes, I thought I was probably vaguely fit (muscle memory... surely that lasts for 13 years??!?), but really? Who on earth would run THAT far!! Quickly deciding that my friend was completely insane, along with the the race organisers for choosing such a distance, I had to come clean and pull out of the race. The idea of running, however, stayed with me, and I started idly browsing the internet in my lunch hours to look at training plans.Just to look at, mind, I didn't actually intend on doing any of them. But I printed them out, just in case.
My growing collection of training programmes sat quietly in a small pile at home, tucked in between the DVD player and the TV. One evening, home alone and idly flicking through the usual channels, they, for some reason, caught my eye, and the idea of going for a run simply popped into my head - like I said, I still don't fully understand why! But, go for a run I did! Choosing a plan by BUPA (they have a very good running site, particularly if you are new to the sport!), I set out for 20 minutes of walking for 2 minutes, running for 1 minute. 30 seconds into the first run, any illusions I had of being fit were shattered - I literally couldn't breathe! The plan was quickly adjusted to 15 minutes of 30 seconds running, 2 minutes walking - and even on that, the next day my entire body ached! The shock of realising I could probably be out-run by my grandad was the next 'influencing' factor in my running - I was determined to be able to run for 20 minutes at least! And so, three nights a week, I would sneak out - after dark, so that no-one would see just how red-faced and sweaty I got - or how much time I spent just walking (whilst still red faced and sweatiing - I really was unfit!). Six weeks on and I could do it - I could even run for a full half hour, without stopping! The huge feeling of satisfaction this gave me was enough to get me signing up to a race - this time a much more modest target of 10K. A much more realistic distance maybe, but I was still daunted by it (the shock of that first attempt at running still haunted me..!) and I didn't even tell anyone I was doing it until I came home, proudly sporting a 'finishers' medal around my neck. Now thats more motivation - medals, and a goody bag at the end! Never having raced before, and assuming you got nothing unless you were placed, I was more than thrilled with my 'bonus' bag of sports drinks, magazines and snack bars. This, I decided, was a good hobby! And so I signed up to more races - lots more - and upped the running, which by now I have to say I was a little addicted too.
Unfortunately, my body was a little more resistant to the idea of running than I was. A few months later, having been making idle protests which I had steadily ignored - basically telling my legs to 'man up' and just go faster... my legs decided to quit. Ignoring the pains in my shins (for a long time!) had resulted in stress fractures - and a long time off! Frustrating, and, by the time I got back to being able to start running, very demotivating! Since then, it has at times been hard to be a consistent runner - I am great when I have entered a race, but when I don't have a goal to aim for, or when the goal is a long way off (like the marathon), I struggle to get going.
So, needing to be a bit more consistent - and determined to make 2013 the year I actually stick to running on a regular, year-long basis, I have been trying out lots of motivational tips! These are the top 10 ones which work for me:
1. Set a goal - be it weight loss, a new pb or a new race distance, having a goal to aim for is the best way I find to motivate me. make the goal short-term (if the main goal is longterm, make some short term ones on the way!), make them achievable - but challenging! And make sure you record your progress - for me, being able to compare not running for 30 seconds to running for 5 minutes, then 10, then 20 and so on was a massive boost to keep me going
2. Run with friends - If your friends don't run, ask them to bring a bike along. Failing that, check out your local running groups - the majority are more than welcoming to beginners, and you have the added bonus of a wealth of knowledge and advise that the other more experienced members can share with you!
3. Change your route - heading out on the same circuit each day gets boring. Liven it up and give yourself something new to look at - time will fly by, you will vary terrain and gradient so keeps you fitter, and its a great way of getting to know the surrounding area a little better. Changing your route or time ofrun is also safer...
4. Reward yourself - post-run pampering feels even more indulgent, especially as you know your body has earned it!
5. Buy proper running kit - Wearing this will not only make you more comfortable on the run, but it helps you to feel like a runner - plus if you buy an outfit you love the look of, you will want to go out for a run just to show it off!
6. Make running a habit for 30 days - it takes 30 days to make something a habit - stick it out for this long, and going out will be almost automatic!
7. Varying training sessions - include hills/ intervals/ tempo and fartlek runs. Great for fitness, your body and keeps it fun!
8. Ditch the gadgets - Stop feeling the pressure and just run for the fun of it, concentrating on speed/ HR zones and distance can make you forget why you started in the first place!
9. Get a new gadget... yes, I know - contradictory to the above. But having a new gadget to try out can be as motivating as getting rid of them! If your on a budget, have a look at all the free and low cost apps you can get for your mobile phone - there are a lot of good ones out there!
10. Eat enough, drink enough - Ok so doesn't sound so linked to motivation, but when my diet isn't sorted, and , more commonly with me, I don't drink enough water, I get slow and tired - which makes me frustrated and does demotivate me. So stop the problem before it starts with a healthy, nutrient rich diet. If your kick starting your healthy eating, I found the Zest diet pretty good!
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