Setting yourself up for success!
Many runners have the same problem, after reaching a goal they are left with a blank space: what next?! But it doesn’t have to be like that. Read more on how you can overcome this and stay motivated all year round.
Focus on yourself
Don’t compare yourself with other runners, because everyone has a different background and different goals. If you just started running, is it fairly normal that you don’t have a weekly running volume of 70K or that you need a bit more time to run 10K comfortably. We all need to start somewhere. Therefore, it is important not to focus too much on the runners around you, but keep your eyes on your goals and ambitions.
Milestones
Those who have already travelled in the UK probably have noticed that after a certain distance you will find a pole. Literally, this is called a ‘mile stone’ (the poles are used to mark a mile, which is 1,6K). So, when you are training for a big event in the far future, it is a good idea to make some smaller goals (or milestones) to reach along the way. If you are training for your first marathon in May, try to run a fast half marathon in April or a fast 10K in March. Through focusing on smaller goals, you will easier find the motivation to keep on training.
Consistency is key
The more experienced runners will agree with me that running is simply a sport that needs ‘maintenance’. This does not mean that you need to push yourself every week to your limits but going for a run consistently is a great way for maintaining your endurance. Even if you are having a sh*t weekend you cannot do all your trainings, just going once or twice is already sufficient to keep up your endurance.
Mix your runs
Normally every good training schedule has this, but to keep your runs a fun thing to do, it is important to do different sort of trainings. Although running the same round every time might be fine to some people, putting variety in your runs will help you to stay motivated. If you have four trainings in a week, you can do one easy run, one interval, one long run and one morning run. Or go for a run in nature instead of always hitting the road.
Be nice to yourself
This is probably the most important one. Running puts a lot of stress on your body. Therefore, it is completely normal that at times, you simply do not have the energy for it. And that’s fine. We aren’t all made to run marathons nor to run incredible fast times. Running is something you should do for yourself, not for someone else. If it doesn’t go according to plan, then that’s fine. Take your rest and before you know it, you will be up and running again.
