Our best tips for Winter running motivation

Staying motivated to get outside and exercise during cold winter months can be a bit of a challenge. We’ve put together a few tips to help get you out the door and keep you moving.

• Write a social media post or tweet the morning or evening before you intend to go running.
  If you tell all your friends what you intend to do and how far you intend to go it will be a lot harder to get out of doing the intended run.
• Keep your runs achievable, by just by getting out there you’re doing a brilliant job.
• Monitor how well you are doing and how often you go out.
  Have a chart on your fridge or a app on your phone to highlight how well you are doing and how often you are going for a run.
• Set your self a monthly target and count it down, for example 50 miles by the end of the month. Set yourself a reward when you hit it.
• Treat yourself to some new kit that you like wearing and you feel great in. Kit that encourages you want to put it on and enjoy a run.
• Find a running friend, maybe someone a little better than you. Someone who pushes you and will make you want to run. It’s also harder to break a running date.
• Try to keep things new and interesting, try new routes or new classes at the gym, mix the pace of your runs up.
  If you don’t get out as often, cross training through the winter will still help your running.
• Mark your diary, Outlook calendar or calendar at home with your workouts treat them as actual appointments you have to keep.
• Make sure your running tunes are upbeat and motivational with regular changes to your playlist.
  Find songs that really motivate you and make you feel good, play these at the most difficult part of your run.
• Sign up for a race. Having a race to work toward is a great goal and very motivational.
  There are some amazing races to challenge yourself with all year round.
• Winter is a great time of year to run fast, conditions are cooler and run can be shorter. Hitting faster times is always a good motivator.
• Use running to help you achieve other motivational targets.
  For example; losing weight or mood enhancement on dull days, running is a great ‘feel good’ activity generating endorphins.
• Reward yourself. Leave something nice out to look forward to when you get home, hot chocolate, freshly made coffee or a tasty treat.
• Take your dog out for a run, you won’t want to let them down if they have been waiting to go out.
  If you haven’t got a dog ask a friend or maybe an elderly neighbour whether they would like you to take their dog out for a energetic run?
• Don’t let all your great work through the summer, go to waste; a strong winter of training will mean a great year ahead.
• Travelling is a great motivator and we live in a beautiful country. Explore it when you run.
  If you can’t travel far, look around for new and interesting routes, a change of scenery can give you a boost.
• Mix up the terrain. There are some great trail and x-country runs this time of year and the events are normally held in places that you may not know and are beautiful and inspirational to run round.
• Join a running group. You don’t have to be a fast runner to enjoy the social, structured and safer runs a group environment can provide.
  Local club links are listed on our website, plus RunTogether highlight run groups near you, just pop in your postcode and find a group. Or why not join our Peterborough Track Sessions?

Tips for safe summer running

If you’ve questions, or need advice, our experienced team are always happy to answer questions via social media, or pop in-store.