Running with a purpose
Before you lace up your shoes, make sure you have a reason to hit the pavement
by Dr. Levi J. Pulver
It’s easy to stay motivated when you are training for an upcoming 5K, 10-miler, or marathon. Every run has its own purpose whether it’s for speed, distance, or even a recovery run. You watch your diet and maybe even adjust your social life to accommodate your training. But what do you do if there is not a race in sight? You want to keep up your running but where is your motivation?
The answer is to find a new purpose for each run. By attaching some sort of goal or emotion to your workout, improvements will be made with almost no perceived effort. Without a goal in mind focus is easily lost and complacency sets in. Just think how many times we’ve just “gone through the motions.” And it’s important to change your motivation from one run to the next.
Here are a few suggestions: Try running to improve your gait, either to keep your left foot from flaring out or to get your low back to relax by contracting your abdominals.
Or, run to boost your metabolism as part of a weight loss program. Running for stress relief is possibly the most productive reason to run.
Research has shown that brain activity increases after periods of brief exercise, allowing you to get back to your busy life with an advantage.
Furthermore, why not run for someone else? A friend who is overcoming an injury, or just someone who is going through a rough time in their life. Finally, run for fun! Put on some music and watch the miles go by. Before you know it you’ll be faster and in better shape than ever before!
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