What do you reckon is THE biggest barrier to running for women?
Is it fear? Is it finding time? Or is it something as simple as just not being able to get past the front door?
I have been thinking recently about how much I take my running for granted these days. OK so I am not quite a superstar athlete, and I haven’t yet cracked a sub 30 5K but having been involved in the sport for 10 years I kind of know what its all about, and more importantly I have worked out what makes me tick and what motivates me to keep going.
So often I hear from women who say
I want to run, I just don’t know how?
Or
I can’t seem to improve, I don’t know where I am going wrong
But when I quiz them on their running habits, part of the problem is they are simply not getting out there often enough, even if that’s a hard reality to accept.
Of course all have days when we can’t be bothered, or those weeks where you are crazy busy and barely have time to go to the toilet, so it’s no wonder running takes a back seat…but we also have those months where we let things slip completely for no reason and look back regretfully thinking “Wow, I’ve hardly run at all recently and now I’m having to start from scratch all over again, doh”.
I’ve been there, believe you me.
Personally, if I don’t have anything to train for I am my own worst enemy. I sit there umming and ahhring about whether to go, making excuses, finding all kinds of other things to occupy my time other than running…but the funny thing is whenever I do manage to get out the front door…I never regret it.
So here is the solution ladies…just get out the bleedin front door.
It doesn’t matter how long you are out there for, how far you travel, whether you manage to run non stop, or are able to run consistently timed miles… you just have to get out of your house.
Put on your trainers, pick up your keys and close the front door behind you.
Because once you are out there chances are you will run or at least stay moving for the 20 minutes or so before returning, the rigmarole of getting your kit on and heading out will probably mean you will put a certain amount of effort into your training too, and if you do it frequently enough you will see improvements too. I guarantee it.
You see that’s how habits are formed, doing the same thing over and over until you see results and once running becomes habitual and part of your everyday life you have cracked it…seriously, its that easy.
But first you need to have some stern words with your door!!
Next time you come home from a days work, or back from the shops have a good ole look at your own front door, (you can even go outside and look at it now if you are at home) and make a deal with it that you WILL close it behind you at least twice a week whilst wearing your running gear and you WON’T let it stand between you and your healthier happier life any more, let it know who is boss…go on give it a go and see how you get on.
Remember ladies you don’t need to be a good runner to run, you just have to give it a go…even if your run is more of a power walk, or a stop start shuffle….it doesn’t matter. Think like an athlete, behave like an athlete…and soon enough you will feel like an athlete.