Four Tips to Motivate Yourself to RUN!

We all have those days when we wake up and feel sluggish or unmotivated to exercise. It’s okay. It’s normal. It’s also frustrating—especially when you’re trying to hit a certain goal.

Here are four tips to get yourself up and out of the door. You’ll be back at home enjoying a post run treat in no time!

Make it a play date. Plan to meet up with a friend for a run. This way you won’t just be bailing on yourself if you want to skip it— your friend is counting on you. Then you’ll get lost in the convo and before you know it, the run will be over.

Get down with the jams! Get some new fun music that makes you want to MOVE. There are just certain songs that come on and you can’t sit still. Load up your iPod or phone with those tracks and get moving…out the door.

Related: May Playlist

Bonus tip: Play your favorite song while you get ready to run! This always puts an extra pep in my step as I dance around while looking for my running watch.

Treat yourself. Some people are super against rewarding yourself with food. But my name isn’t “Run EAT Repeat” for nothing! I’m okay with a reasonable indulgence for a job well done.

This can be anything from a post-run coffee to a pedicure after a long run. Treat yo’ self!

Be strong. Sometimes everything in our heads and our lives seems to be fighting against us getting in a good run. We’re too busy, tired, stressed, hungry or sad. Life can be hectic and the easiest thing to push aside is exercise.

But running is good for your body and your mind. The days when everything seems to be going against getting in a workout are probably when you need to run the most.

Be strong and just do it. Work with the time you have. Squeeze in a 30 minute run or whatever you can. You’ll feel much better after you crossed that off your “to do” list, got your heart pumping and did something healthy for you.

Question: How do you motivate yourself to run? Tweet @RunEatRepeat and @WomensRunning and tell us!