Running Motivation




Running is one of the best ways to keep in shape and when you're a writer who is stuck inside all day, sometimes it can be invaluable for both your health and your writing ability to get those feet moving. Running motivation is hard to come by though (especially in cold cities like Chicago where it's practically winter eight months out of the year). Here are some running motivation tips that I've used in the past.


1. Pick a Good Destination

Need some food at the old Trader Joe's but you usually take the bus? Put your transit card, debit card, and license in your pocket and run there instead. My favorite discount natural food shop is about a mile and a half away and it's a great way to force myself to get moving. Have to meet a friend at a far away coffee shop? Try running there to fit in that extra mile or two and to impress your friend. While I wouldn't suggest it to business meetings or work, I do know of several important business types that will bike or run to work when there is a shower and gym available for them to look professional again afterwards. Pick a good end point and running motivation will be much easier.


2. Find a Running Buddy

Check around with your friends (Facebook and text messaging makes this extremely easy) to see if anybody has been wanting to start a running plan. See if your schedules match up and give it a try. There is a chance that your running styles and speed will not match up but it's worth a shot. A significant other may be a great person to try this with as it may give you two something to do together and it never hurts to give both members of a relationship a healthy endorphin boost at the same time :).


3. Visualize the Aftermath

Thinking about running, pain, cold, and heavy sweating may not be the best running motivation to fuel your fire. But what about the thoughts of how you'll feel after a shower with your boost in happy brain chemicals? What about thinking several months down the line to a thinner waist and a healthier heart rate? When you are having a hard time getting yourself out the door, try thinking about the positive aftermath that will result from your foot journey. This may be aided by infusing this visualizing with some music that you enjoy and by closing your eyes in a comfortable place.


Try out these three steps for your motivation to run to get you out the door and in shape. Hopefully if you can add more writing to your routine your efficiency and health will improve. At the least you'll probably live longer, which is a pretty good worst case scenario if you ask me :).


Related Articles to Quotes on Motivation

  • Daily Motivation

  • Daily Motivation: The Morning (Part 1)

  • Stopping My Self-Sabotage and the Aftermath



  • Done with Running Motivation?
    Go back to "Motivation Techniques"

    Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

    Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

    1. Click on the HTML link code below.
    2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.