Avoiding the Winter Slump

As powerful as our legs are, as magnificent as our lungs and arms and muscles are, nothing matter more than the mind.”

  
December 13th.. 65 degrees???  I might have been on a runner’s high simply because I was wearing shorts and tank top a week and half before Christmas. This is perfect running weather! Soon will come the days when us runners wake up in the morning, swipe open our phones, and realize that the temperature is less than desirable and our response to getting outside will be “hell to the no” as we go back to sleep.  As we learn  to toughen up we put on our three shirts, leggings, pants, gloves, and hats, knowing you’ll be taking off half your layers in the middle of your run anyways and go.  Then the next thing you know you’re singing “the cold never bothered me anyway” and the whole neighborhood knows you as the crazy running abdominal snowman.  If you are training for a spring race though, it is going to be so important for you to stay motivated and stay in routine!

If you are having a hard time staying on track try these tips!

1. Keep a chart and every time you come back from a run feeling better that you did, put a check in the corner.
2. Find a running partner or join group runs! Keeps you reliable and more than likely makes you stick to routine.
3. Do some cross training. If you mix it up, things don’t get so boring.
4. If you really can’t stay motivated, don’t run for a week. I promise you that you will be itching to get back out there and hopefully spark that love for running again.
5. Go help with a race! Watching other people run or achieve their goals will make you want to achieve your own and revive your passion.
6. Then go sign up for a race yourself.  If you have to train for something then you are more likely to go outside and run.
7. Buy yourself new workout clothes.  This always works. Trust me.
8. Sleep in your workout clothes.  If you do this, in the morning when its freezing out and you don’t want to switch clothes, there is no excuse.
9. Download a badass playlist that will make you want to run so you can listen to it.
10. Remember what it felt like running in July at 2 in the afternoon.  Remember those runs you wished it was colder.  Here is your chance.
11. Just tell yourself to get outside and get started.  Once you warm up you won’t stop because you want your body heat to stay.  Once you stop you’ll start to get cold again.