“James Thie Coaches Corner”
Why you should run (and do you find the motivation to keep going!)
Welcome to the first of my ‘coaching corner’ articles and hopefully they might offer some advice to those already training for or inspire some new runners to take part in Septembers Windsor Women’s 10km and the Windsor Half Marathon events.
If seeking the motivation to continue running or to start it could be worth remembering some of the key benefits:
- Mental and physical benefits of being active (make it part of your recommended amount of 150 minutes of physical activity per week).
- You can run almost anywhere and at any time, the world is your playground/running track!
- Running is largely a cheap sport.
- For an individual sport it can also be very sociable.
Real life vs. reality: I would like to say everyone who runs or starts running will be bitten by the ‘bug’ and will keep running for life. But most, if not all, will struggle with motivation at some point. From my experience my top tips when this happens would be:
- Make a goal, this could be a time, distance, running streak or the Windsor 10km or Half Marathons (if not done so already!).
- Structure: plan your training to avoid injury and illness and which would help to achieve your goals.
- Find some new routes: go and explore, use lots of different locations.
- Contact a running group or club for additional help and advice which would also link you with other people.
- Use music to run with (check out Jimmy Watkins and his brilliant @RunningPunks reviews!)
- Mix up your training with non-running cross training to keep exercising without having to run, this can prevent injuries and keeps the enjoyment when you do run! Everyone is welcome at my online @TeamThie circuits, every Monday 6pm on Youtube!
- When we can all get back running in bigger groups, you (if not done so already) can try a parkrun, a worldwide free and friendly run of 5km. If that doesn’t help the bug bite, I’m not sure what else will!
Hopefully, this bite-size take on staying motivation to keep running will be beneficial to new and old runners alike.
Windsor Women’s 10k Saturday 25th September. Click here to enter now
Windsor Half Marathon Sunday 26th September. Click here to enter now.