Are those grey clouds putting a damper on your motivation to run? When it comes to rolling out of your warm cosy bed and lacing up those sneakers, finding motivation can be tough! We’ve put together a few tips and tricks we’ve found, and tried, to help you with your training.
Set Goals: Whether it’s signing up to run your first 5km, or aiming to blitz your half marathon time, it’s important to set goals to motivate you in your training. These can be big picture goals, as well as smaller weekly aims. Your running goals should be achievable and challenging at the same time. An unrealistic goal will decrease motivation but a goal that is too easily obtained will lead to boredom.
Write your goal down! Simply the act of writing them down can set the process in motion. We recommend keeping a training log to track your progress. Record times, distances, time of day, weather, your pulse rate, progress toward goals and any other aspect of your running you might find valuable. A training log allows you to monitor your progress and learn from your mistakes. Many runners regularly review their training logs to look at the work they have done in the past to provide motivation for the future.
Birds of a feather flock together! Encourage a friend to register for the event and train together. It’s much harder to skip a workout when someone else is relying on you. They can also be great motivation on those days where you might not have run as hard, or as far, as you would have without your training buddy. Find someone who has a similar pace and goals as you and you’re away laughing – literally. Don’t know anyone to run with? Join us for training clinics here at the BC SPCA! More info coming soon.
Be creative: It’s easy to get into a groove with your training, just don’t let this groove become a rut! Mix it up a little to keep your workouts fresh and interesting. Take a different route, exercise at a different time of day. Try leaving your watch at home and run for the enjoyment of it, rather than striving to reach a timed goal. If you’re a gym rat like me, add some weights to your workout or pop the treadmill on an incline to spice things up a little. It’s important to incorporate cross training into your running schedule to prevent muscle fatigue and increase your strength, flexibility, and aerobic conditioning.
Pump up the jam: I personally can’t run without my iPod in, and loud. I don’t like to hear the sound of my laboured breathing, or when I’m tired, my heavy footsteps. To keep motivated while running create a playlist of your favourite, high energy, songs that get your adrenaline pumping. Ethiopia’s Haile Gebreselassie set an indoor world record for the 2,000-meter as his favourite tune bellowed from the loud speakers at the Birmingham Indoor Arena. After the race, Gebreselassie commented that the song’s beat helped him take home the victory.
Look after number one! Every animal trainer knows the importance of rewarding good behaviour, the same goes for us. Rewards can be a powerful motivator – when you do succeed, make sure to do something nice for 
yourself. Whether it’s treating yourself to a massage post race or nibbling on some dark chocolate when you’ve come home from a long run. For some, the biggest reward may be a much needed break. If you stick to your running schedule all week long, make sure you take a day off at the end of the week.
The ultimate motivator: Knowing that you’ve helped an animal in need. By participating in the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon & 5km run/walk and fundraising on behalf of the BC SPCA you’re helping us care for and protect nearly 34,000 animals each year. This life-saving work wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of supporters such as yourself, and for that we thank you.
