Fit Fanatic: Weekly Recap & Tips to Stay Motivated

By Jessie

Week Fitness Recap:
Monday: 6.5 quick miles with my "morning run club"
Tuesday: 5.5 "quick-ish" miles post-work with Matilda- she didn't know what was up- she actually had to run just a little bit! Only a little bit of course.
Wednesday 6.2 miles with "morning run club"- didn't feel so great...but everyone has an off day.
Thursday: Kettlebells+Circuit at Balance Fitness
Friday: 4 easy miles with Matilda

Planning to...

Saturday: Hopefully run 10 miles with the Calhoun Beach Running Club!
Sunday: Yoga (and the Madonna concert!)

{this pretty lady likes to run!}

This week was the kickoff to a winter "morning run club" that a small group of friends and I have started. We're hoping the regular routine will keep us on track over the winter. Every Monday and Wednesday, we'll meet at a special meeting spot, and go from there (probably 5-7 miles). We all love the Calhoun Beach Running Club, but sometimes weekday morning runs work a lot better than the 6 pm runs. Getting stuck at work won't be such a big deal if you already put in your miles in the AM.

After this weekend, when the clocks fall behind an hour, it will be even harder to stay motivated. We'll be running in the dark, dark, dark for several months (except on the weekends of course). It’s dark if you run in the morning, and it’s dark if you run at night, so why not get the runs done early, and have your evenings free?

LL posted about the challenges we face during this “dark” time of year- read about it HERE. And last year, we debated which was worse- running in extreme heat (Read about it HERE) or extreme cold (Read about it HERE). Though we determined that extreme heat was the worst, I'm still not looking forward to the cold, dark runs that are quickly approaching now that it's November.

So the question is...how do we stay motivated?

How to Stay Motivated in the Winter:
(sourced from "Runner's Connect"

1. Run with a friend!

This is the most effective method for me. Just knowing that a friend is waiting for me in the morning is usually enough motivation to get my sleepy self out of bed. Motivation doesn't happen on its own. Just like you schedule your runs, you also have to plan to get yourself motivated to run. Running with your friends is one of the top ways to stay in check. The social aspect of running is one of the key reasons people start, and stick, with it.  Not only do they help keep you accountable by “forcing” you to show up, but misery loves company. Grinding out mile repeats in the snow and below zero temperatures isn’t quite as bad when you have 3 or 4 or your running friends by your side to commiserate with.

2. Strategically place reminders of your goals when you know need the motivation.

Many runners are motivated by their goals. So step one: determine your next running goal!  I know what mine is- I want to run a 3:45 marathon.  Being reminded of my ambitious goal when the going gets tough will hopefully keep me motivated during even the most difficult training conditions. When the temperatures fall below zero and when I just don't want to run, I'm going to focus on that 3:45 goal, and get my big butt out there to run!

Runners Connect suggests physically putting reminders of your goal by the biggest "barriers" to your training:  

For many people, getting out of bed in the morning and getting excited about running in the cold leads to many missed runs. A good solution is to place an index card with your goal written in big, bright letters by the alarm clock. This way, when you go to hit the snooze button, you see your goal staring you in the face and you can ask yourself: “how much do you want it today”. If that doesn’t get you motivated to get out from under the covers, you need a new goal. If you run after work, you can put your goal on the dashboard of your car. This way, when you start to talk yourself out of driving to the gym or come up with an excuse when you walk in the door, you can remind yourself what you hope to accomplish.

3. Use small, local races to keep you focused
Runners Connect suggest signing up for some shorter races to stay motivated:

Perhaps the hardest part about training well in the winter is that your big goal races seem so far off. It can be easy to trick yourself into thinking that a few missed days now won’t have any effect in March. Unfortunately, January and February are the important building blocks of training if you want to race well in later in the spring. To keep your focus more in-tune and targeted, try signing up for some local races as workouts. Many areas have small 5k and 10ks during the winter that aren’t famous or that don’t have lots of participants (head to your local running store or check online for races in your area). Not only does the “threat” of competition keep you motivated, but it’s one less workout that week you have to run alone.

I wrote about all my upcoming runs HERE. I have lots of shorter distances on my calendar (In fact, I just added the Moustache 5k today!) I hope that the mix of distances will help to keep me challenged.

4.  Get the right equipment

When you have the right clothing and equipment, running in the winter can actually be quite enjoyable. 

Another trick that works well (especially for women) is to periodically buy new winter running gear. It doesn’t have to be expensive or a big item, but adding a new top or base layer can make getting out the door a little more fun if you like to be fashionable.

You don't have to tell me twice! I'm always interested in more running clothes, and they definitely help me stay motivated.

Well, that's it from me this week. Hopefully some of these tips will help you out as the cold weather approaches!

Do you have any additional tips that have help you stay motivated? 
Please share in the comments!