We’re just a few weeks into a new year, which means those running resolutions are still going strong right? Are you feeling the need for some support in sticking to your goals? The DWS team is here to help! Our running resolution/goal/commitment for 2021 is to run even more than we did last year. To help you stick with your running goal we have a few tips that you can implement into your process.
We are committed to running for at least 20 minutes five days a week starting today for the next 90 days.
Post It Everywhere
Daily reminders of your goal can be a great way to stick with what you’ve committed to. If your phone is always attached to your hand, like some of us on the team, set a reminder to go off at the same time every day to motivate you to get up and run.
We also like to write our goal down on a sticky note and post it where we’ll see it every day right away. To keep us motivated, we write down some fun motivational quotes on them too so that we remember why we declared the goal.
One of our favorites is, “Today, I get to run.”
Set a Timeline
We always set a timeline when declaring goals. This way we know making excuses to postpone running are no longer truly valid. Note that in our goal above, we declared that we’d run five days a week for 90 days. That’s a set timeline to achieve the goal and now the idea of running more doesn’t feel intimidating, especially with the end date in mind.
Use Google Calendar, or your favorite app to map our your timeline.
Make Them Attainable
Alright, this is the real kicker, are you ready? MAKE YOUR GOALS ATTAINABLE!
If we decided to run seven days a week, we wouldn’t give our bodies the chance to recover. For us, that immediately sets us up for failure because we all know that running every day when our bodies aren’t prepared for it will have us quitting before we start.
We also declared more than one or two days a week because that wasn’t much of a stretch for us. One or two days is what we were already doing, so to increase the number means we want to see a change and create a new habit that gets us a little sweaty when thinking about it. Are you pushing yourself in your goals or are you playing it safe?
Enroll a Buddy
Do you have a running buddy? Do you want a running buddy? Enroll your significant other or a friend to join you in accomplishing this goal. Having someone to hold you accountable in your goals will ensure that you’re committed and following through.
Some of us on the team like running with headphones and to completely zone in on our feet hitting the pavement, while others of us like to chat it up when jogging. No matter what our preference is, when our whole team is committed to the goal, we have people to check in with and make sure we’re sticking to our word.
If you aren’t sure of who would run with you, check out MeetUp.com for running groups, most are doing online events too.
Share Your Goal
Sharing your goal/declaration with anyone and everyone creates even more accountability for you. Who’s that one person in your life that whenever you say you’re going to do something they’re texting and calling you every day to make sure you’re doing it? That’s the person to tell.
R&R is Acceptable
Above all else, remember you also deserve to rest. We factored in two days a week to allow our bodies to rest and recover because we know when we have time to recover we’re going to keep running the next day. Make sure to plan out your schedule with your body and your life in mind. All of us are different, and while two days has been perfect for us, do what works for you!
Remember to breathe, you’ve got this.