Dr Vivek Baliga - Getting Inspired For Running

Dr Vivek Baliga - How To Get Inspired For Running

Ask people who do not exercise every day what they think about running, and chances are they will retaliate with a comment ‘isn’t running boring?’

As a runner, it is possible to get easily offended by this comment; some may just sweep it under the rug and move on.

The fact of the matter is this – running is one of the most enjoyable sports there is. Furthermore, those who think that there is no fun in running may not realise that running forms the ‘building block’ of most sports. Cricketers run in between wickets and to bowl, footballers run, tennis players run; almost every ground sport has some form of running in it.

We have already talked about the ‘runner’s high’ in a previous section. This high aside, many runners find that running clears their head of stress and worries they may have had in the day. In the west, it is not uncommon to find people with busy jobs getting a run in even late in the night just to clear their head. 

At times, when running, it is not unusual to hit a ‘plateau’ – a phase where you just don’t feel like going for a run. This plateau can put a big dent in your running routine; many have even given up running due to this.

 

There is no shame in hitting a plateau – it is not a testament in any sense to being lazy or short of motivation. Every one hits it at some point in their running routine. It’s all about trying to come out of that phase and move on to the next level of running.

How can you achieve this? Well, get inspired! Here are some simple ways.

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1. Remember why you took up running in the first place. It might have been to become fit because you were breathless when walking up stairs or because you looked at yourself in the mirror one day and did not like what you saw. 
2. Read an inspiring story – There are many runners who have been on a long and tedious journey to be a successful runner. Along the way, they have encountered many problems which most runners would anyway. Read about these and use their recommended strategies to restore your focus on your goals.
3. Set easy goals – Setting too many can confuse things for you. Decide on your goal and work towards it every day.
4. Play your favourite tunes before you run – If you love music, then playing tunes that inspire you are great before you head out for your run. Music can pump you up and get you prepared for your run.
5. Talk to a friend – There are friends who motivate, and these friends are invaluable when it comes to running. If you feel a lack of motivation, ask your friend or running buddy to give you a pep talk. All it takes sometimes is a little push to get you going again.
6. Attend local fun runs – If you are bored on a weekend and seek inspiration to run, just head out to any running events that may be going on in your neighborhood and cheer the runners. You don’t even have to run – just watching them can sometimes be inspiration enough. You will see people of different ages running, and these are an invaluable source of inspiration.
7. Reward yourself – If you have completed a run that you thought you could not do, then most certainly reward yourself once in a while. This could be in the form of eating a small portion of your favourite food, or enjoying a healthy dinner out with friends. We don’t recommend you buy yourself a Ferrari though. 
8. Have a blog – Having a running blog can be a great way to inspire yourself. When you don’t feel like going out for a run, just go through your own blog or the blog of others. Your mood reflects in your blog posts, and you will likely be reminded of how you felt when you ran and then came home to blog about it. 

Creating a blog is simple – you can do so on Blogger or Tumblr. Comments and congratulations from friends and even complete strangers can be a wonderful source of inspiration.