If you’ve been running for a while but are starting to find it hard to motivate yourself, or need tips to improve and manage your runs then look no further.  For advice on the basics to the advanced, there are plenty of things you can do to get yourself going and refresh your interest. 
                          
Make Targets

Regardless of your running ability, there are always things you can aim for.  By making targets you give yourself a specific goal to reach, and whether the targets are personal or competitive, this will give you a scale to work up.  If you track your progress in terms of time, distance, running speed or stride length then you can work on improving a particular one on a regular basis.  You could also try running with another person for a competitive way of improving your running skills and having someone to share the experience with.  Beware though; choose your running partners carefully! Finding someone who is reasonably well-matched in both skill and temperament means that you’ll carry on working out with them for long term benefits.  By focusing on some aspects of technique and form, you will find yourself motivated to increase others.  Another way to improve your run is to give other exercises a go too – cycling and swimming are particularly good for building up overall strength and fitness, so even if you don’t fancy getting overly precise in your running technique, you’ll see a general improvement after a few weeks. 
 
Marathons
 
Of course, a major way to push yourself is signing up for a marathon or half-marathon.  This is a big undertaking, so make sure you can prepare yourself adequately if you do decide to go for it! Build your flexibility and suppleness by taking up yoga; by becoming more aware of your body, you’ll have better alignment and balance when you run.  Since you should have plenty of time to train before the race, it’s best to plan your running schedule in advance.  Mark a calendar with your marathon date and plan a weekly fitness plan that includes a few different types of runs a week, as well as other exercises.  Be sure to allow for rest days; if you push yourself too hard before you’re ready you’ll end up inhibiting your progress.  There will most likely be slumps where you lack motivation, so allow for these by switching up routes, changing the music you listen to or treating yourself to new running clothes to give you a push.
 
Food and Drink

There are plenty of foods to look out for and stay clear of before and after runs.  Firstly, make sure that you never run on a totally empty stomach; eat something fairly plain a couple of hours beforehand to give your body the energy it needs.  High carbohydrate foods are ideal for doing this at a steady rate, whereas fatty or high-fibre foods will be difficult to digest.  Stay away from coffee and drink plenty of water to stay well-hydrated during your run.  An important rule to remember is it’s pretty much impossible to drink too much water!  As soon as you return from your run have another drink and prepare something to eat with carbohydrates and protein to help your body recover.  The rest of the time, stick to an all-round healthy diet for optimum fitness.  Plenty of fruit and vegetables will give you the essential vitamins and minerals necessary to aid recovery and stay strong, while avoiding fatty foods and sugars will keep the weight off.  Finally, to keep your energy levels stable, eat several small, regular meals rather than three larger ones. 
 
Aids

Sometimes you might need a helping hand to get motivated.  Plenty of people run to music, but that’s not the only way of getting out the door.  If you’re into reading, why not try an audiobook? Choose a thriller or mystery and you’ll be sure to keep running so you can find out what happens at the end!  The crucial thing is that different people prefer different things; maybe an audiobook will be the perfect thing to give a narrative to your running, or maybe you need to listen to music with a fast beat to get you going.  Maybe neither appeal to you; in which case you could find a running partner to motivate you and chat with.  Some people like to run without any aids – fully concentrating on their movements and senses makes them more mindful of the way their body is working, which can be very handy in focusing and improving your performance.  Either way, experiment with different types of music, audiobooks or comedy.  Think outside the box when you’re planning a run – if you need a push, find it!

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