4 ways to make your New Year's running resolution stick

Have you made the resolution to incorporate running into your life, but are worried you won’t be able to make the habit stick? Here are three ways to ensure you can sustain your New Year’s resolution for a lifetime.

Make it the default

If you plan to run first thing in the morning, lay out your running kit (top, tights, socks, shoes, belt, reflective vest or headlamp and jacket, if applicable), plus a small snack, such as a tangerine or a couple of crackers with nut butter and a few sips of water, before you go to bed. That way, there’s nothing to do in the morning but suit up, wolf down your snack and get out the door. It can also help to add your runs to your daily calendar, just like anything else you are scheduling for the coming week. There may be days when you have to shift things around, but most of the time, scheduling your run will lend it importance, and you’ll be less likely to skip it.

Make it social

When you’re trying to establish a base of fitness, company definitely makes it easier, so look for a running club or learn-to-run program in your area. On your non-club days, consider listening to music, an audiobook or podcast to take your mind off the physical effort of running while you slowly build your fitness. Linking your routine (going for a run) to your reward (listening) can also help with motivation (i.e., saving that new album or podcast episode for your next run) and can be a great way to get yourself outside, even when you aren’t feeling it. For safety, keep the volume low, or opt for just one earbud.

Keep the pace easy

If you’re getting into running for the first time, keep the pace very easy and comfortable; many people give up because they think they have to run fast. You don’t! You want to be able to carry on a conversation while jogging; later, when you’ve built a base of fitness, you can add some faster workouts to your training. You can also adopt and run/walk system, where you alternate jogging for three minutes (or five minutes, or whatever feels doable) and then walking for one minute. No one but you has to know how fast or how slow you go.

If you’ve run in the past but are just rebuilding the habit, it’s still a good idea to start slowly and make at least 80 per cent of your runs easy-paced; it will take a few weeks to rebuild your fitness if you’ve taken a long break.

Get racing

There’s nothing quite like a goal to make a habit stick. And there is something very satisfying about signing up for, training for and completing a race. (Keep it short, for your first few races; a 5K is a lot more manageable than a marathon.) You have the initial excitement of putting a date on the calendar, and you could even invite friends to join you (or at least cheer you on). At many races, they’ll print your name on your bib, and even announce your name as you cross the finish line, which is very motivating! Training toward your goal and running a few times a week are great ways to stay consistent. 

posted Sunday December 29th