Stay Motivated to Follow Through Your Running Resolution

A week into the new year and the struggle to keep up with your resolution is going on strong. It’s a fact that the majority of people don’t follow through with their new year resolutions but you can be one of the few who succeed in completing your running resolution. Whether you made this resolution to become healthier, fit and active or just as a new hobby, sticking to it can be challenging. But once you start running, you slowly begin to realise its benefits for your mind, body and soul. It takes determination to keep training but stopping or breaking your resolution shouldn’t be an option. 

Aim big but start small. Doesn’t matter whether you took a resolution to run a 5K, 10K, half, or full marathon, you always start with small goals like to run 2km every day (it’s okay even if it is 1 km until) it seems to be an easy distance. Then you increase the distance and focus on decreasing the time. The key is consistency. Run every day even it’s a small distance. 

You deserve a break. If you feel exhausted or feel it is too much, take a break for a day or two. Relax and let your body get some rest. It’s not necessary to run seven days a week. After running for consecutive 4-5 days, you can and must take a break. It will also help you feel refreshed.

Feeling lonely? Find a running partner. There are some people who like to run alone and there are some who like to run in the company of others. If you fall in the latter category, you can look for a running partner – ask around your neighbourhood, friends, colleagues, anyone. Many a time, it’s others who keep you motivated and encourage you to continue. 

Remember to stretch after your run. Everyone stretches/does warm up before running but it is also important to stretch after a run as a part of recovery. Even five minutes of stretching is enough post-run to help you become healthier. 

Celebrate your run. Whatever your short-term goal is, celebrate it when you achieve it. Did you run 3kms in 20 minutes? Great. Did you run continuously for a month? Good job. Every success counts and takes you a step closer to your bigger goal of running a marathon. 

Sign up for a run. Let’s say you come across a running event that is two months down the line, sign up for it. Get yourself registered. In this way, you are committing to an event and more importantly, to yourself to participate in that event. Your mind will be set on this one event and this run will become your first official run of many. 

All this will help you stay true to your resolution. The key is to keep going. You can decide your own pace but just keep running.   

Running as a sport in India does not have a core community that can help new runners to expand their knowledge base and master it. Bhaago India platform helps runners of all levels come together and build a core community to provide a one-stop solution to all the challenges that runners face.