Now January over, every gym has offered everything in order to get you through their doors. But how long will that motivation last? Until the end of February maybe?

Exercise is not meant to be fun. Or, is it? It only becomes boring if you let it. You need to keep your mind guessing. Keep changing things, keep things fresh. This is why running is great. It seldom gets boring. You can change the route, speed, terrain, run alone, with a friend, with a group, sign up to a race, run at night – and these are just a few.

I am not going to pretend running is easy and a quick fix because it is not. You will not love running straight away. It will take you a while to develop a love and passion for it. Yet, once over the initial period you will certainly catch the running bug and wonder what you ever did without it. But how can you get to that point? Here are 5 top tips that can help you stick with the sport for the long run.

 

• Treat yourself – put money away towards a trip, buy new kit when you reach a set milestone. Immediate rewards work better than long term goals (e.g. lose weight, get fitter) in the initial stage.
• Join a running group – there will people there just like you. Swap advice, face challenges together.
• Track your runs – keep a log of your runs and what you are eating. Research suggests that people who track runs and food habits tend to eat less, eat better and exercise more.
• Go public – tell everyone, sign up for a race and share it. This will help keep you accountable and strive to your success.
• Don’t just run – think. Work through a problem, come up with ideas and solutions. Run without music and let your brain wander – you’ll be amazed at what you come up with.

Running doesn’t have to be boring and an effort to get out that door. Everyone is different and it’s down to you to find out what makes it interesting for you. What is certain though is that everyone can enjoy it and everyone can Run For Life Not Just January!