I rarely feel lonely on a run. Basically, anything that comes out of my Pandora station keeps me company. Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Shakira and Mana. Their music is fun, upbeat and gets me going ... most days.
Other days (see yesterday), I struggle to get out, then I struggle to keep going. I still enjoy it and I never regret getting out there. But sometimes it's plain hard.
Running with someone else is the best. I've written about that before. But how does a runner keep going when she would rather do just about anything else? Did you say laundry? Count me in!
Other than a kick in the behind, here are some of the things I've tried:
Treats
I don't mean MilkBone. It could be as simple as promising myself I can drink a glass of chocolate milk when I'm done. Or a small piece of dark chocolate. I keep it small so that I don't negate the benefits of running. And then I think about said treat the entire run. Hellooo, Pavlov's dog.
Public acceptance
Those cheers that come up on my Nike Plus app when someone "likes" my post when I'm out running can give me a major boost.
Think of others who can't run or a time when I couldn't
I think of anyone in my life who can't run for whatever reason. I'm sure some of them would give just about anything to be active. I also tend to think about times in the past couple of years when I was under doctor's orders not to run. At all.
Pray
I pray for people in my life who are struggling. Never for myself. It's not always about me, apparently.
Repeat a phrase
I've recently adopted a few: "I love hills!" "Hills are our friends!" And, my current favorite, "suck it up, buttercup!" I will admit to saying these out loud on occasion, but it's usually part of my internal dialogue.
Yes, drill sergeant!
I went to military school as a kid, so I can summon my inner drill sergeant on a dime. My drill sergeant voice has been known to shame me into running some more.
Channel my inner cheerleader
Basically the same concept, just nicer. And peppier. I hate my inner cheerleader.
Public humiliation
I posted on my Facebook feed (or team page) that I would run X miles. How will I face my friends if I don't finish? (Yes, I realize they don't really care, but I never said these tactics were based on reality.)
"Type A" rewards
Sometimes, the thought of scratching off the day's workout from my running plan is enough to get me back in gear. Anal retentive much?
Write my blog post in my head
I've written most of my posts while running, including this one. (Which I'm sure explains a lot. Including this one.)
There are times when I have to use more than one of these ideas to finish even my shortest runs. I have to admit that last night left me feeling like I have multiple personalities. But I got my five miles in. In your face, drill sergeant!
Now, take a minute to tell me what you do to get yourself going again when you're struggling with a run.
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