Monday, December 30, 2013

50 Ways To Run Your Best In 2014

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Let’s face it. While there are some people who could run the same distance over the same route everyday for the rest of their lives and never tire of it, most of us need something more to our running.

In my opinion, there are three elements to make sure running is fresh and alive in your life: running for a reason, seeing progress (whatever that looks like to you), and having variety. With that said, here are a few simple ways to be your best running self this upcoming year and for years to come:

  1. Stay injury free (find hints HERE)
  2. Run in honor of someone
  3. Run without a watch
  4. Make a new playlist
  5. Run with your dog (best running dogs HERE)
  6. Sign up for a race distance you’ve never done before
  7. Run on the trails
  8. Join a running club (find one HERE). Or start your own!
  9. Train with a heart rate monitor (more info HERE)
  10. Volunteer at a race
  11. Run for a charity (find yours HERE)
  12. Run your favorite route in reverse
  13. Create a running blog
  14. Sign up for a race in a state or country you’ve always wanted to travel to
  15. Volunteer for Girls on the Run
  16. Watch an inspiring movie like “Spirit of the Marathon
  17. Read Matt Long’s “The Long Run” and remember you have no excuses
  18. Go early, really early, before your brain realizes what you are doing
  19. Run with your kid
  20. Run with a friend beside you on his/her bike
  21. Get a friend or family member to run their first 5K
  22. Run an errand – literally!
  23. Run in the snow
  24. Run in the rain
  25. Run in the wind and know the resistance makes you stronger
  26. Do a triathlon
  27. Try a trail race (find some good ones HERE)
  28. Find a ruddy (a running buddy, get it?)
  29. Keep your goals attainable
  30. Use a training plan
  31. Run with good form
  32. Have a pre-run routine
  33. Start a streak
  34. Don’t obsess – life goes on if you miss a run.
  35. Sleep more (find out why and how HERE)
  36. Count your steps (180 per minute is optimal)
  37. Lose weight (if you need to) to get faster and run easier (good article HERE)
  38. Run without music
  39. Keep a running journal
  40. Run on vacation
  41. Run to work (someone can always drive you home)
  42. Try water running (more info HERE)
  43. Try a track workout (ideas HERE)
  44. Set a monthly mileage goal
  45. Keep your easy runs easy
  46. Run hills
  47. Run in a spot meaningful to you such as a cemetery or on the streets of the town where you grew up
  48. Never think you are too old
  49. Sign up for daily running motivation HERE
  50. Have fun with it or why do it?

Why ones are you going to try? I’m doing #1, #10, #23 , #27 and #45 for sure.

Now go run your best!

SUAR

39 comments:

  1. Number one is key. It pretty much can decide it all!

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  2. Thank you for the list. I am going to print it and put it next to my weekly work out goals for a good visual motivator. Happy New Year!

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  3. Thanks for the great reasons to run. I LOVED #16! Such an inspiring movie. I watched it a few weeks before my first half-marathon.

    I'm trying to come up with an attainable yearly mileage goal to prod me along this year. 1,000 miles? Maybe I will reward myself with a trip of equal mileage. :)

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  4. Running your fav route in reverse is such an easy way to change things up! I've done a lot on the list but maybe checking each off is another good way to shake things up...

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  5. I'll be 50 in 2014, so thanks for the 50 tips!

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  6. Ah, yes. These are all such great ones. I think half the blogs I follow were started just for motivation purposes...and now they motivate me, too! I love adding new blogs to my blogroll...that's a huge motivator and keeps running fresh!

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  7. Love this list, Beth. Thanks for sharing it.

    What I love most about it is that it illustrates something that we all probably inherently know: we all run for different reasons and we all approach our passion(s) from a different vantage point.



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    1. Very good point. inspiration and motivation comes in many different forms...

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  8. What a great post. I particularly clicked on run with your dog and was surprised that jack Russell's were in the top group. My jack looks longingly when I go out but when I take him he gives up after 2km. Maybe I need to take him on a slower run and that would work. I just figured his little legs wouldn't keep up. I think he's going to enjoy 2014 now that I'm looking at him in a new light. Thanks for the link up to that article.

    Carol / www.finding-carol.blogspot.com

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  9. I've been taking my dog out on my one milers. He LOVES the idea of it haha. Half the time I feel like I'm dragging him but he knows when we are almost home and he takes off like a rocket and I have to hold him back. Negative splits anyone?? ;)

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  10. I hope I will remember the "stay injury free" one this year - somehow I didn't get that memo in 2013!

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  11. Love the list. Will use it to keep me motivated in the coming year.

    One unrelated question - what brand of vest do you have on in this photo. Love the vest with water bottle instead of hydration pack!

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    1. It's called the HydraQuiver. I will be doing a review on it later this week. http://www.orangemud.com/products/hydraquiver

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    2. Thanks! I will watch for your review. It looks like a great idea.

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  12. I love this! I'm going to print it and put it in my training journal. Thanks for sharing! 😊

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  13. This is a great list! Some things I'd like to try is volunteer at a race, race for a charity, run in a state I've never been to, and run on trails/hills!

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  14. #48 never too old!

    http://www.nytimes.com/news/the-lives-they-lived/2013/12/21/joy-johnson/?_r=0

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  15. I agree with so many of these! I NEED to watch Spirit of the Marathon, I can't believe I haven't seen it yet. Great list!

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  16. Great list.. I really like the idea of having a pre-run routine. Lately I have had a post-run routine with certain stretches etc. I want to work on making that more of a habit as well as incorporating a pre-run routine as well!

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  17. Awesome tips! Thanks for number 5, I was just thinking about that. I can tell you which one I'm not doing, 23!! All the other ones are fair game.

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  18. I want to do them all, but that would mean 1 a week. Is that doable?! Yes, but realistic......ehh...I love the list tho! My goals are a marathon, more halfs, a trail run, ragnar run, volunteer, run without music, find a new fun, etc. sooooooo many goals!!!

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  19. Great list. I went ahead and signed up for #15 Girls on the run

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  20. I think I'll try having fun! Sometimes running is just another chore I have to do. Having fun is important.

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  21. Great list! I'd like to try more than a few of these! Thanks!

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  22. I love your list. I'd already planned to do a number of them, but now you've given me a couple new ideas! Thanks!

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  23. Number 33, my streak is on 750+ days, but I still am looking for some-one to 'streak' with...

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  24. I have completed all of those things and more...all without a list simply because I love it.
    The rest just came naturally.
    Coaching was the best-brought home a city wide trophy for our girls x-coutry team one year!

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  25. Starting my 43rd year of running in 2014! whoot!

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  26. Add- run to and from WORK! :-)

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  27. Planning on more hills #46 and running journal #39. I started using an app and I am obsessed with getting a little running man signifying a completed run on as many days as I can.

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  28. I'm hoping to run trails this year; so far, I'm signed up for one trail race....which means I need to start training on the trails, eh?

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  29. I'm definitely trying to run outside more (instead of on the treadmill) and also take one of my dogs with me on those runs - they love it!

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  30. In order to improve my cardio performance for better running, I am taking special nutritional supplement. Haven’t seen anything like that before, but recently found this new product by Military Grade. The name of the product is Cardijex. It enhances heart health, therefore, helps me to intensify my workouts. Now it is easier for me to increase my mileage. Besides, it promotes calorie burning. Perfect combination for me!

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