Focus your mind on a fitter, faster 2019 with our healthy running resolutions
We love New Year’s Resolutions! They’re a great way to focus the mind on healthy, positive goals and get the year off to a positive start.
As a runner, it’s pretty easy to know what your resolutions will be about: running! But you still might need some help getting really specific with your NY Resolutions. Whether the 2019 Windsor race will be your first race or your 100th, here are 10 resolutions you’ll love.
#1 In 2019, I’ll Do A Race!
We can definitely help with that! If you’ve never raced before, join us for the Windsor Women’s 10K on September 28th. 10K is a great race distance for first-timers. You can build up from zero to 10K in training, and maybe pop a 5K race in there to test your race pace. And our 10K has to be one of the best in the UK – it starts and finishes in the shadow of Windsor Castle! Plus, it’s women-only which makes for an amazingly friendly and encouraging atmosphere (your sons, husbands, boyfriends, and Dads are more than welcome as supporters of course!) How about it? A 10K race this year?
#2 In 2019, I’ll Race Further
If you’ve already got a race or two under your belt, how about stepping up the distance this year. The Windsor Half is waiting for you! Entries are open now, in fact. It’s on Sunday 29th September, so plenty of time to train. You can do all your longest runs during the nice weather! It’s a wonderful race, lots of it off-road on traffic-free routes. You even get to run the Long Mile at Windsor Castle (that’s pretty special!) Half marathon – 13.1 miles – is a really decent challenge for any runner. If you’ve been running a year or two, and you’ve done a 10K or two, then step up to the challenge. By this time next year you could be a half-marathon finisher!
#3 In 2019, I’ll Do Speedwork
Lots of runners cringe at the thought of speedwork, but there’s every reason to do it. Not only will it make you a better runner (fitter, faster, stronger) but it will do great things for your personal fitness. Speedwork could be sprints on the flat, hill reps, dedicated track sessions, or a couple of faster runs a week. This kind of running will massively boost your basic running pace, and could take minutes off your race times! In addition, it will do great things for your heart health and CV fitness. It also burns a lot of calories, so can help you lose weight and body fat to look slimmer and leaner. What kind of speedwork would you start with?
#4 In 2019, I’ll Add Another Run
This is a fairly easy one to do. If you currently run fewer than 4 times a week (and that’s most of us!) then add another run to your week. It’s up to you what you do with it. You could add a 20-30 minute steady jog for the calorie burn and me-time aspects of running. Or you could focus on your running performance, by making that extra run a hill session, fast paced run, or track session.
#5 In 2019, I’ll Join A Club
Now this is a great New Year’s resolution. And you can start researching it right now, wherever you’re reading this. Look up local running clubs and groups. Most towns have more than one (you’ll probably find there’s one which is more focused on racing, and one which is more social). Find out where and when they meet, and go along to one session. Then make your decision – which one suits your goals best? Which had the best atmosphere? Which one will you be able to get to most weeks? There are so many benefits of being a running club member. Company for long runs, coaching for speedwork, access to tracks and other training facilities. Friends, fun, and social events. News about races (and lifts to and from!) You can still run by yourself, but your new club will be an extra string to your bow.
#6 In 2019, I’ll Get Faster
We don’t like to focus NY resolutions on weight loss, but if you do want to lose a bit of weight, reframe it as something positive: like running faster. The two go hand in hand. If you’re lighter, you’ll run faster. And if you train to run faster, you’ll lose a bit of weight. So make your goal “take 30s per mile off my regular pace” (or something measurable like that). Keep an eye on your portion sizes, snacks, and calorie intake. It will all fall into place.
#7 In 2019, I’ll Get More Sleep
Ah, sleep! The one thing we all want more of. So why don’t we get it? The truth is, sleep is free and available to us all. Of course, kids and work and deadlines and stress are all very real factors. And women take on more of that stress than most! But there is always more you can do to tackle sleep. Can you go to bed earlier? If you take your phone into the bedroom, stop. Tonight. (Charge it downstairs). If you have fallen into the habit of staying up late doing things that don’t need doing (social media, TV) then just go to bed. Make it a resolution and work on it. Everything will benefit – including your running.
#8 In 2019, I’ll Keep A Running Log
Most of us track our runs somehow, but it’s usually via a watch or an app. The days of a paper log are gone. Well, bring them back! Keeping a very simple daily log of exercise, mood, sleep, and nutrition can absolutely transform your success rate. There’s something about writing things down which focuses the mind. This year, make a quick daily note of 1) sleep, 2) mood, 3) calories (or a food diary), 4) running, 5) other exercise, 6) steps. See how it makes you more focuses, productive, and aware of your health habits.
#9 In 2019, I’ll Try Trails
Has all your running so far been on the road? Off-road running is a great addition to your running routine. It doesn’t have to be full-on cross-country with the spiky shoes! Just seek out trails, paths, or any off-road route. These runs will be quieter than the road, with some rewarding sights and sounds of nature. It’s also a subtle challenge to your muscles, ligaments, co-ordination and concentration. Here in Windsor we have some beautiful parks, river runs (of course) and even some forests. What’s near you?
#10 In 2019, I Will Be More Consistent
There’s a tipping point for every runner, where it stops being a hobby and starts being…something more. None of us are elites, of course. But we can’t quite call running a hobby, either. It’s a way of life, a passion, it’s just what we do. That tipping point starts by being more consistent. Do you go out for a run when you can? Or do you plan your runs in at the start of the week, putting them in the calendar, and sticking to them? Maybe this year, your running resolution could be to be more consistent. It will result in better fitness, more confidence, and a more streamlined segue between running and the rest of your life.
What will 2019 hold for your running? We hope to see you at the Windsor Half and Windsor Women’s 10K.