It's difficult as a runner to really like winter. The nights are drawing in, the clocks go back and before we know it, we wake up in the dark and come home from work (or school, or uni) in the dark. Attempting to motivate yourself through these long winter months can make or break your ability to complete that race you've entered for spring, but it's crucial that you keep ticking over if you want to hit that goal of yours. Here are my top 5 tips for keeping yourself motivated!
- Find a group to train with; This is probably the number one most important and motivating thing you can do. A group will keep you accountable, but more pertinently ensure that you have that extra bit of motivation to go out, even when it's cold, dark and raining! I've always found training in the winter tough, but when your motive switches from 'I need to go out and do a run today', to 'I need to go and meet some friends and go for a run with them', I can guarantee it becomes a whole lot easier. Why don't you mix it in with a social afterwards (think trip to the pub, or a stop at a cafe)?
- If possible, try run commuting; With the nights drawing in, the amount of time you have spare each day for a nice run becomes ever more limited. If you're in a lucky position where work isn't too far from home, combining some of the commute in to a jog or run can be a really efficient way to get some miles in!
- Change up your training; Rather than longer runs during the week which you might have done during the summer with lots of available light, you can take the opportunity to change your training around a bit. For example, know a safe park or running track you can use nearby that's well lit? How about reps or faster intervals round here, rather than attempting to navigate potentially busy roads or traffic filled streets. Live near a hill? How about some hill reps? The training might be slightly different, but it means you can actually get some decent training in without having to think too much about how you're going to fit in 'x' number of miles through busy streets.
- Wear reflective gear; Running at night is dangerous, particularly if you're not blessed with somewhere safe to do hill reps, or a shorter session, and the risk of traffic and cars is very real. A lot of runners assume they can be seen at night because of the street lights and car head lights, but the reality is, we're incredibly difficult to spot, particularly if you find yourself darting from the pavement to the cycle lane. I will always go out at night wearing a reflective jacket, which moves me on to my next point.
- Wear warm clothes; Perhaps this one goes without saying, but investing in some proper warm clothes which are breathable, but let you run effectively, and keep you warm will make your life so much more pleasant. It'll help maintain all those heat training effects, but also make you more likely to get out and train even when the weather is grim!
So there you have it, a selection of 5 key points to keep you running through the winter. Hope you enjoyed, and share the link to this page if you think other people might want some winter running advice too!