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Over the past year, I discovered that I really wanted to start running again. Not only is the exercise great, but for me, it is a huge stress-reliever. No matter how exhausted I am after a run, I feel great. No matter how much pain I may be in or out of breathe I am, it was worth it. As I get back into it, I have found a few things that help me stay motivated and keep pushing me.
A lot of motivation needs to come before lacing up and hitting the pavement. It needs to start at home. This includes being organized, having the right workout accessories, and getting in the right mindset. I really need my surroundings to help keep me on track.
Here are some things that really help me stay motivated.
1. Have a designated spot for running accessories. I keep everything I need to workout or run in one area. It can be in a closet, foyer, or mudroom. It should be kept somewhere seen daily as a reminder to make that time to run.
2. Add motivational quotes to that designated spot or other areas often used. I am a huge fan of motivational quotes, because when I am very busy, it is a great reminder to slow down and/or stay focused. For running, I made these two 8×10″ quotes. Click the following to print your own copy for free:
3. If it helps motivate you (like it does me), purchase new running and workout clothing. When I have new clothes, I want to wear and use them. Each month, I try to get at least one new piece of workout clothing. When I first made the decision to start running again, I did one big shopping trip and was really a huge motivator to make sure I use them and not waste the money I spent.
4. Have the right accessories to track and monitor running. I use to have a ton of different little wearables that all did different things. That has changed now. I was at Dick’s Sporting Goods the other day for new warm ear gear (seriously, it has been below zero here in the Midwest this week) and found something else that caught my eye.
The SMS Audio BioSport In-Ear Headphones stated right on the box ‘Intel inside‘. That kind of technology makes me think of a computer and I couldn’t wait to try it out. The technology allows these earbuds to also be a heart rate monitor with integrate biometric sensors for fitness data collection.
What does all of that mean for me? Less accessories to keep track of. All I need is my phone and the BioSport earbuds. Plus, they don’t need batteries or need to be charged. Again, one less thing to worry about.
5. Download a phone app to keep track of runs. Seeing progress and improvement is an awesome motivator. The purchase of the BioSport earbuds come with one free month of RunKeeper Elite. There is also a free version of RunKeeper, which I had already. While both track and log activities and record stats, the Elite version has more advanced reporting. I will definitely be purchasing a year of it after the trial is over, because as a numbers person, the reports are extremely helpful.
The BioSport earbuds also sync with RunKeeper to track everything in once place. With my Android phone, all I had to do was plugin the earbuds and run the app to sync it up.
6. Keep the music playing. When I run, music helps me get pumped and push harder. The BioSport earbuds have exceptional sound, that is incomparable to my old earbuds. I like to play workout and running playlists that are already made in music apps. However, if you follow #BioSport on Twitter, you will find some awesome playlists from some awesome bloggers.
7. Set little and big goals and write them down. Whether you want to run once a week, or once a day, something is better than nothing to get started. Keep track of the goals and re-visit them often. This year I have a goal to run a half marathon relay with my friend. After that, I will run a half marathon.
8. Have a support system: friends, family, a fellow runner, someone to help push you and pick you up while you are down. When I started running 5K runs last year, my best friend Ashley was right by my side.
9. Speaking of races, sign up for fun 5K races first. My first one was a night run where they throw fluorescent powder at every mile and at the end. We found ourselves running faster once we had a color station in sight. Plus, it makes running even more fun! We are also planning on doing a sand run this year, which sounds terrifying and fun all at the same time.
10. Don’t forget to reward yourself!! Pick something you really want and once you run so much, treat yourself! My next reward will probably be more running shoes. Maybe to get yourself started, you could reward yourself by purchasing the BioSport earbuds! If you do, there’s a coupon: Offer code for 20% off SMS BioSport Headphones on SMSAudio.com is BioSport20 (US only, Expires 1/31/15).
What helps motivate you to run?