Come on let’s face it.
Everyday life is flipping hard work.
It’s a real effort at times.
And then…
Exercise is an extra effort to do on top of everything else and as exercise goes regular running sure as hell seems like an awful effort most days…or is it just me.
In The Clubhouse this month we are exploring the theme of Effort, and looking at the effect of putting in more effort both in terms of nutrition and exercise…and what that actually means in the long run. Later this month we have a webinar with a fabulous NLP practitioner who specialises in helping women overcome procrastination (something I battle with daily, this post was supposed to go up on the 1st of the month, we are now on the 4th and I am forcing myself to write it)
So I thought as a bit of a taster I would list the top 5 things in running which I think require the most effort, and look at some possible solutions to overcoming this perceived effort and exploring whether things are really ever that difficult….or are we just using them as excuses.
1. Getting Dressed – It doesn’t matter how organised my workout clothes draw/cupboard is, or how much I keep on top of the laundry, finding something to wear to work out always seems like a hassle. My top tip is to declutter, declutter, declutter….get rid of all the stuff you are never going to wear so you can see what you have, and also get your kit ready at least an hour before you need it (24 hours is better) so you don’t talk yourself out of it.
2. Charging Technology – Urgh…head out for a run and your sports watch is not charged up or your phone is on 10% battery…or worse still you can’t find your headphones. Get into the habit of charging your stuff shortly after getting your other kit ready and make a deal with yourself that if ever technology lets you down…this will count as a naked run, one to just enjoy.
3. Getting out the front door – Let’s face it THIS IS THE BIGGY. There are so many other things you would rather be doing than running. The sofa is comfortable. The laundry needs doing. The kids need feeding….oh and that new BBC drama is starting tonight. Putting your kit on will help you make that first step. Knowing you have the option of just doing an out and back 10 (Ie 10 minutes out, 10 minutes back) helps you to break it down…you will often want to run further once you are out.
4. Travelling to races or training – Not all of us run straight from our front door. Often we jump in the car to drive to a race or a training session with out running club or group of friends. I often drive for an hour in rush hour traffic to run 20 times round a track, to then drive for 40 minutes home again…often I don’t bother as it seems like a strange level of effort. Making yourself accountable by telling people you are coming helps, post on Facebook, agree to pick up friends on route, or to go for a drink afterwards.
5. Running Stronger – OK so even if you manage all of the above. How often do you tick of the run on your planner but know you are not really pushing yourself? Running faster or further can feel like a real effort, but that additional work for your body is what is going to help you improve. Know what you are trying to achieve with each run, set yourself mini goals, plan new routes, run with others, use your sports watch to help increase your pace.
The rewards you get through upping your effort even by a tiny bit can be huge. In our Scream if you want to go faster pilot which we are running with 100 ladies at the moment, the challenge this week is to literally tell your legs to run faster during their 3 set training runs…already women are reporting back that the pep talks they are giving to their legs are actually helping them to see improvements in their pace already, and we are only on week 1 of this 8 week programme.
Over in The Clubhouse we also have a fabulous run every day during October challenge going on and the accountability of posting progress every day is helping women get out there even when they really don’t want to…thats the best thing about an online community like ours, where people know you by name and give you a virtual kick up the backside when you need it.
Come and join 165 awesome women from all over the world, and at all ability levels in our unique running club for plus size runners, and all for just £59 per year…less than the price of a coffee and cake once a month.
With monthly mindset themes and fitness challenges, and weekly training sessions and coaching support, perhaps you won’t need to rely so heavily on your own will power to get you running more frequently…seeing other women post about their progress is infectious, and before you know it you will be putting in the effort too.
