Have you been trying to make running a habit but haven’t gotten far in creating a consistent running routine?
Maybe life interrupted your running habit.
Or maybe you took some time off and can’t quite get that momentum back.
If you’re tired of the cycle of stopping and starting all over again, then this post may help.
Because here, you’ll learn how to make running a habit and stick with it for the long haul.
Let’s get started.
Whether you’re a runner looking for running tips or a cyclist searching for cycling advice, this site is here to help you elevate your fitness game.
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HOW TO MAKE RUNNING A HABIT
Building a running habit is hard, and whether you’re a beginner runner or getting back into it, here you’ll find a handful of tips here that can show you how to get in the habit of running.
Make running a habit by bookmarking a time to show up for a run
One of the secrets to creating a running habit isn’t actually about running.
It’s about creating space and time to show up for a run.
Creating a running habit begins with not running.
What it means is that you’ll have a set, defined time in your schedule that you plan to run.
You don’t have to run, but show up at your scheduled time, with your running shoes on to reinforce that this scheduled time is time you’ve set aside for running.
And if you feel like running? Great, but that’s not as important as showing up.
This is all truly about creating space in your schedule to run.
Call yourself a runner
Do you believe you’re a runner?
Hint: You are a runner.
A runner isn’t someone who runs 6:00 minute miles or tackles 40 miles a week. You don’t have to look a certain way or run dozens of races to be a runner. The only way to be a runner is to run.
So if you run, you’re a runner.
It’s normal if you don’t believe me (or more importantly, you). But, you can convince yourself otherwise by keeping a list of your running progress and accomplishments.
Whether you are a new runner and ran your first 5K, made it around the block without walking, or finished a half marathon, keep track of those accomplishments so that you can look back on your list anytime doubt creeps in.
There’s another bonus to calling yourself a runner—it tells you how to build a running habit. Runners go for a run, so you don’t have to rely on willpower or motivation alone to get you out the door.
The more you identify with calling yourself a runner means you’ll do what runners do—run.
On the days you’ve bookmarked to run, decide how much time you’ll want to spend running
Do you have time for a 10-minute run? A 20-minute run?
No run is too short because the goal here is to ease you into a running habit that you can stick with long term.
There’s always time for hours later if you want to, but I’d encourage you to find a length of time that’s manageable (even easy) for you to go for a run.
What amount of time (or miles) will encourage you to run regularly?
Before you settle on an answer, there’s one more tip I’ve got to share with you—it may be helpful to send a time range.
For example, you might say that you will run anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
This way, a time range can help you balance something you can do easily (let’s say that’s 15 minutes) and something more challenging (30 minutes), which can boost your running motivation.
Plan for the unexpected changes to your running routine
We’ve all heard it before—consistency brings results, and that’s no different from building a running habit.
But that doesn’t mean we’ll never miss a day of running. We may get sick and need to practice self-care, or we may have other commitments.
So if any of those things happen, it can be helpful to create some alternate plans for changes to your running routine. These plans will give you a way to stick with your running habit even if it looks different for a few days, weeks, or months.
For example,
“If I feel tired, then I’ll do a walk instead.”
“If I don’t feel like running, then I’ll commit to a 10-minute run.”
“If I missed a day, then I’ll resume my running plan the next day, week, or month.”
Planning what you’ll do in advance gives you control over how you’ll return to your running habit and stick with it over time.
CONCLUSION
Building a running habit, or any habit is daunting. But you can use these four running tips to help you build your running routine.
But it doesn’t have to end here, you’ll find a free workbook that will walk you through everything you need to continue building your running habit.
