I was supposed to put out a post on January 1st - “My running resolutions for 2016”. I did have a good start writing my fitness goals for the year – and I do have some serious running goals. But work kept me busy and I just couldn’t get myself to finish the post in the first week and so never posted it. Two weeks into the new year and I decided to do a stock check. Here goes - no-show at SCMM, missed training runs, training plan misplaced and worse- I haven’t even registered for my next running event – one of the goals for 2016. But trust me I have reasons. Seriously, enough reasons – valid genuine reasons to skip the run yesterday and day before and for tomorrow and….
And in this, I know, I am not alone. We all do it - Come up with reasons or EXCUSES to miss a run. Here is a list of the ones that I use very often. And if these are the ones that you also use then I have a sound advice for you !!!
1. Too tired – Late nights, travel – that’s understood. So get a good night’s sleep, go for a late run and for that one day make the run your priority.
2. I don’t feel like it – Now this is one where I just don’t know what to do. Ofcourse, one can say – If you don’t “feel like it” now, how did you “feel like” signing up for the race?
3. Have a busy day at work – Get the endorphins and the runners high early on, to keep you going through the day
4. Todays run in the plan looks difficult, I won’t be able to run the distance / the pace – Get out and give it a try !!
5. Another day off won’t hurt, Tomorrow for sure – Tomorrow never comes !!
6. No one from the group confirmed, its not a good day to run – Its your run, you go get it done.
And the best,
7. Training is anyways ruined, have skipped too many runs – break the dry spell, its tough but start slow, start small, get going.
Sometimes, we genuinely have a good reason to skip a run – injury, exhaustion, fatigue – and it makes sense to take a break. But when there’s an excuse each time you have a run, something different is needed. I have suffered from the excuse syndrome in the past as well and here’s what I have done to break the bad habit
1. Set a 5 / 10 day target – Start small. Put the training plan aside and just focus on the short term goal. I have done 10X10s, I have done 15 days running streaks. And by the end of it, I had the rhythm back.
2. Get your running partner / group to get you out – If you run with a group, nothing better than getting your group to force you out. Seek help. It works.
3. Social media – My FB list is almost 70-80% running friends. I spend a little extra time on FB reading what others are upto and that is sure shot motivation. Look at your own running pictures - Remind yourself of what you are capable of, of your past accomplishments and the high that accompanied them!!
4. Read a motivational blog, a book and be inspired.
And I know that I need to do one or more of the above soon and get my running life back!!
1. Too tired – Late nights, travel – that’s understood. So get a good night’s sleep, go for a late run and for that one day make the run your priority.
2. I don’t feel like it – Now this is one where I just don’t know what to do. Ofcourse, one can say – If you don’t “feel like it” now, how did you “feel like” signing up for the race?
3. Have a busy day at work – Get the endorphins and the runners high early on, to keep you going through the day
4. Todays run in the plan looks difficult, I won’t be able to run the distance / the pace – Get out and give it a try !!
5. Another day off won’t hurt, Tomorrow for sure – Tomorrow never comes !!
6. No one from the group confirmed, its not a good day to run – Its your run, you go get it done.
And the best,
7. Training is anyways ruined, have skipped too many runs – break the dry spell, its tough but start slow, start small, get going.
Sometimes, we genuinely have a good reason to skip a run – injury, exhaustion, fatigue – and it makes sense to take a break. But when there’s an excuse each time you have a run, something different is needed. I have suffered from the excuse syndrome in the past as well and here’s what I have done to break the bad habit
1. Set a 5 / 10 day target – Start small. Put the training plan aside and just focus on the short term goal. I have done 10X10s, I have done 15 days running streaks. And by the end of it, I had the rhythm back.
2. Get your running partner / group to get you out – If you run with a group, nothing better than getting your group to force you out. Seek help. It works.
3. Social media – My FB list is almost 70-80% running friends. I spend a little extra time on FB reading what others are upto and that is sure shot motivation. Look at your own running pictures - Remind yourself of what you are capable of, of your past accomplishments and the high that accompanied them!!
4. Read a motivational blog, a book and be inspired.
And I know that I need to do one or more of the above soon and get my running life back!!
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