Fifteen Ways to Spice Up Your Running

Whether you are just starting out, or a seasoned marathoner, every once in a while your running can start to get more like a chore rather than a gift. You start to get in a rut – the same ole routes, the same playlist, the weather is bad, etc – and you start to dread heading out the door. Here are a few ways you can get back that excitement of being able to run and shoot for that runner’s high.

1. Find BEAUTY in your run. Don’t think about your breathing or what hurts; look around you, look up. Check out the incredible architecture in the homes, and look for flowers, seascapes, or majestic trees. Soak in a “green” or “blue” run – appreciate the natural world around you and look for that beauty.

2. Create a new playlist. Curating a new playlist might take some time but once completed, will get you jazzed up to run to some new tunes. I recently created the International Women’s Day playlist I have been rocking and it has given me some fun reasons to bebop down the road.

3. Join a new running group. Nothing will get you out the door, put a smile on your face, or even get those competitive juices flowing like a running group. Even if you are currently in one, experience a new one – if only for some fresh new faces or a new route. Check out our list of local running groups if you are in search of some friendly new running buds.

4. Practice your nutrition or try a new product. Everyone tells you not to try something new on race day so training runs are the perfect time to experiment. Always wanted to try that new electrolyte that you see all over your feed, maybe test out a new flavor of an energy gel – focus on how you feel and/or perform by dialing in your hydration and nutrition plan. Make it an experiment with no time or performance goals other than to see how your body performs with a new product or plan.

5. Work on your mental strategy. The old adage – running is 90% mental is very true. There are countless MotivationMonday quotes out there to help you beat the mental fatigue that running can bring. I recently read this article in New England Runner about “Work Above the Shoulders” on Zap’s Tried and True Adopted Mental Strategies for Racing and Training. Some great tips here even for the most seasoned runners amongst us.

6. Have a self-care focus. We joke that runners are so inflexible, we are like the Tin Man in a yoga class sorely in need of oil. And we need some of that inflexibility to rebound off the ground in our foot strikes, but we know we often shun this important part of our training. Take a week or two and really focus on the off-road stuff. Have a 10-20 min daily yoga session, and take 5 minutes for some light stretches and dynamics before you take off. Wear sunscreen and a proper hat – but take some care of yourself before you pound the pavement and consider it some much needed body pampering.

7. Retail Therapy. Nothing gets me more excited for a run than a new pair of running shoes, some cute new shorts, or a great pair of shades. Treat yourself to something new for that run! Check out our friends at Rhode Runners Inc. – or our Rhode Races shop! 😉

8. Laugh at yourself and other runners. We all have that friend who often states “I would only run if something were chasing me.” Yes, running for fun or pleasure can be weird – and some of us are REALLY into the lifestyle. As a result, we feel guilty when we aren’t enjoying the run. Take some time to laugh at yourself and this crazy lifestyle. Some of my favorite running jokesters are Laura McGreen and Matt Lyons.

9. Learn more, educate yourself. Even 30+ years into my running career, I constantly try to educate and learn. New workouts, new warmups, nutrition, cross-training, etc. One of my favorite newsletters right now is Six Minute Mile. With 6 quick bullet points each week, it is easy to read, compact, and informative. Search out education that will help you perform better, stay healthy, and get you motivated.

10. Sign up for a race. (Of course that was coming, right?!?) But seriously, nothing keeps you focused, motivated, and on task like an end goal. A race will give you something to work towards, oftentimes define your workouts, and motivate you out the door more than a goal race.

11. Find a new route. Yes, we all get stuck in our running route rut. We know anywhere from 1-5 miles in any direction from our house and can run our tried and true routes, knowing just what to expect and how long it will take us. But we have also seen every nook and cranny of these routes. Challenge yourself by taking a different turn, an unexplored road, starting at a different location, or even running your usual route backward. You see all sorts of new things just by going in a different direction. But break out of that rut and see what is around a new corner.

12. Start a running journal. Not a training log, but a running journal – fewer miles and minutes but more on – what did you see, how did you feel, who did you run with, any new routes explored. Maybe work on taking at least one photo – and not a selfie as that requires too much thought and staging – but just notice the world around you and document that beauty (see Bullet One.)

13. Read a running book or movie. Not necessarily non-fiction, but maybe some fictional media that is a feel-good story about running. Something to inspire you. McFarland USA was one of my favorite running movies.

14. Cross-train. You do not have to run every day, in fact – your body will thank you if you don’t. You should be mixing up your daily workouts so you don’t tire of any of them, nor do your muscles and ligaments. Walk, bike, hike, swim – all of these will make you a better runner and keep you healthy while allowing you to come back to your run with more appreciation.

15. Positive affirmations, happiness, and motivation are skills – practice them and search them out. Spend at least a run a week not focused on your fartleks, your speed, or your LSD – but have your practice plan or run goal be to work on your motivational skills. Pay attention to the world around you, what is working right in your body, and how to focus in on the joy in your run – how lucky we all are to be in these bodies and have them move in nature. Sometimes I picture myself as a gazelle or deer and imagine that is what I look like when I run. I know that I don’t, but the mental image of how effortless it can be helps it feel effortless. My mantra is LIGHT, EFFORTLESS, GLIDE.

Yes, running can be hard, monotonous, and difficult. And sometimes we lose sight of how to coax that joy running out of us, but mixing up the routines, actively searching for that beauty, and focusing on what is surrounding us rather than our internal dialogues will help us rediscover what a simple and natural experience running can be.