Find your motivation to run more in 2019
Welcome to the Event Guide for 2019! These pages are packed with every type of race. We have traditional running and walking events, as well as trail races and multisport events, such as triathlons. Once you’ve scoured the pages searching for the perfect events for your race calendar this year, we have the right advice to help you run your best on race day.
We are now well into 2019. Maybe you’ve set a goal for this year, and maybe not. Or maybe you set New Year’s Resolutions two months ago and forgot all about them. Well, this guide can get you back on track and help you find the perfect tune-up and goal races for the year.
Many people set goals to run a half marathon or marathon, because pushing the limits of endurance seem like a great way to find out what you’re made of and how much you can endure. Others may be hoping to get faster this year on a key 5K or 10K race. But while running a faster time at a local race or running a longer event than you did before gives you something to be proud of and to brag about, running is really about so much more. It’s not just about fitting into tighter jeans or looking good in shorts, it can change you on the inside as well. Running helps you build self-confidence. While you’re motivating yourself to get in longer miles, you’re also proving to yourself that you are mentally strong and physically fit and ready to tackle other challenges that life throws in your way.
Here are four ways to get motivated to run, even when you feel like doing anything but getting in the miles.
1. Just do it. It seems like silly advice, but sometimes, you have to force yourself to get out the door. Once you start, you often get into a groove and finish your workout. Maybe you play some mind games with yourself and tell yourself to just try at least five minutes. Don’t think too much about it. Just go.
2. Schedule it. Plan your day around your run. Schedule it just like any other appointment or meeting. Life can get so busy that it feels like we sometimes don’t have time to run, so type it into your Google calendar and don’t skip it. It can be easy to prioritize everything else in your life, so make running a priority too.
3. Reward yourself. You deserve it. You put in mile after mile. Buy yourself a fun new water bottle or new running shorts. Maybe you just need the satisfaction of giving yourself a check mark on a calendar that you display in your office. Or a sticker. Maybe you reward yourself with a coveted race entry fee. Whatever reward helps keep you going is the right one for you. Because the ultimate reward is the gains in health that you are going to receive from running.
4. Make it social. Meet up with a friend, join a neighborhood group, or find a coach. Sometimes we need outside influences to help hold us accountable. It’s harder to skip a workout when you know someone is waiting on you. It can also be rewarding to meet up for group workouts and make new friends on your runs.