We’ve been talking a lot about resolutions lately. The rubber is hitting the road for our New Year’s group, who are right now in the midst of Week One in a push that will have them 5k-ready by January 1.
But regardless of whether you’re joining us in the New Year’s push, there’s still plenty to be said for making a commitment to yourself and seeing it through. Read on for tips on how you can stick to your training resolutions, New Year or otherwise.
Get started. Do you know the undisputed, number one reason that people fail to complete a training program like Ease into 5k? They never start. Don’t worry about how many weeks are in the program or how many workouts you need to get through in the first week. Just start. Start with the first workout of the first week. Each of our programs are designed to build you up and prepare you for the workouts ahead. Trust the program and get that first workout behind you.
Roll with it. Eventually, something is going to interrupt your training. You’ll have to work late, take care of a sick kid, get derailed by a family get-together — sooner or later it’s going to happen. Or maybe you just fall a little short in the motivation department one week. Whatever interrupts your program, don’t let it be the end of the line. Just jump back in. Pick up where you left off, rewind to an earlier week in the program, do a no-pressure 15-minute fun run; whatever it takes to get you back on the horse, make it happen.
Don’t stress. Getting fit is supposed to be good for your mental health, not another thing to worry about. Let your training program be your refuge from day-to-day stress and anxiety. If a particular workout is causing you grief or you’re worried about your performance day-to-day, take a deep breath. You don’t need to set any records, you just need to get out there and run. Take the pressure off and make your goal simply to get out there and make it happen…the rest tends to take care of itself.
Find a buddy. Nothing creates accountability like a running partner. If your running style and your lifestyle will accomodate a running partner (or a group of them), there’s no better way to keep yourself honest. It’s easy to stay in bed and skip a solo morning run. It’s much harder to leave your buddy hanging on the corner.
Be social. Don’t have a running buddy? Sure you do. Social media provides unprecedented access to like-minded runners all over the world. Our apps will even let you post your workouts to Facebook and Twitter right after you finish them (automatically if you like), making it easier than ever to share your progress. If you’re looking for a great community of runners to start meeting online, check us out on Twitter and Facebook. We’re proud to say we have some awesome fans and followers.
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