Breathe new life into your workout routine with these coach-approved ideas.
By Jenny McCoy
Sure, you could make your 2025R running resolution the same as everyone else’s. Simply pick a distance, sign up for a race, and vow to cross that finish line. But what if this were the year to shake things up?
“The half marathon and marathon get a lot of hype and are super sexy and impressive,” Kayla Jeter, a Chicago-based certified functional strength coach and RRCA-certified running coach, tells Runner’s World. “But there are so many [other] ways to get into running and setting goals.”
In fact, getting more creative with your fitness objectives can be a great way to “keep things fun, fresh, and really fulfilling,” says Jeter. Taking this approach can reduce pressure to hit certain benchmarks and instead help you actually enjoy the sport more, Nico Montañez, Mammoth Lakes-based ASICS-sponsored pro marathoner and coach with RunDoyen, tells Runner’s World.
Remember: “Not everybody needs to run a marathon,” Kaila DeRienzo, certified personal trainer and certified run coach in South Carolina, tells Runner’s World. Moreover, you don’t have to race at all to be a runner, says Jeter.
With that in mind, we tapped DeRienzo, Montañez, and Jeter for a roundup of unique run challenges to set in the new year. From relays to streaks to community-oriented events, these ideas will make 2025 an exciting year of running.
1. Run a Relay
While running is, at its core, an individual sport, most elite runners are on a team or train with other runners. And while there’s nothing wrong with embracing the solo aspects of a run, dialing up the communal element makes running more joyful, and allows you to support others and build camaraderie with like-minded people. “That type of bonding can kind of make you realize how fun running is,” says Montañez.
To add that community element to your running this year, both Montañez and Jeter recommend signing up for a relay event in which a few runners complete parts of a race. Relays span a wide variety of distances and events. Consider doing a a traditional marathon relay, an adventure-focused course like Ragnar, or an iconic competition like Oregon’s Hood to Coast.
How to make it happen: Search online for relay races near you—Ragnar offers a ton of options across the country—or see if your local marathon accepts team entries.
Once you’ve formed a team, take time to identify the collective goal. As Jeter puts it, ask yourselves: “Are we in it for fun? Or are we in it to rip it?” From there, regularly check in with your teammates leading up to the race “just to cultivate the energy and synergy,” says Jeter. Forging bonds ahead of time will make competition day even more epic.
2. Do a Race Series
Signing up for a race series—like Disney’s Dopey Challenge, which involves finishing a 5K, 10K, half, and full marathon over the course of four days—shifts focus away from nabbing PRs and instead emphasizes mental resilience. “It’s just all about, hey, what can I accomplish today? What can I get through? What did I conquer?” says Montañez. Completing this type of monster goal can help build confidence in your abilities that then carries over into your next objective. For an Australian race series, sign up for Sunset Series 2025 – three races around Melbourne’s iconic tracks.
How to make it happen: Search for a local race series near you, or plan a vacation around a destination series.
Once you’ve registered, tweak your training program to include two-a-day runs so you can prepare mentally and physically for the challenge of racing on tired legs. Aim to gradually build up to doing double days—including one run in the morning and one at evening—about three times a week, says Montañez.
3. Set a Streak Goal
The concept of a run streak challenge is simple: How many days in a row can you walk or run a certain distance or time? But the benefits are more advanced.“What I love about the streaks is that it’s not about the distance; it’s about building the habit of consistency,” says Jeter. Adhering to a streak, she adds, helps build “self-trust that you can set a goal that you can show up for—even if it’s just lacing up your shoes to jog down the block.”
Keep in mind a streak doesn’t have to be running-centric, which may be appealing if you’re prone to overuse injuries or are feeling burnt out after finishing a big training cycle.
DeRienzo suggests a movement streak goal—that is, challenge yourself to complete some type of workout every day, whether that be yoga, biking, strength training, Pilates, swimming—really whatever tickles your fancy.
How to make it happen: Once you’ve settled on the parameters of your streak, check out the Runner’s World guide to streaking for tips on nailing this challenge.
One key thing: Be sure to prioritize recovery activities—like good nutrition, quality sleep, stretching, and foam rolling—to reduce your chances of injury and discomfort along the way. “Recover harder than you train,” says Jeter, explaining that “reducing that pain and soreness is going to help you continue to show up for that streak.”
4. Lace Up for Charity
We’ll be the first to admit that running can be a pretty selfish sport. From obsessing over kilometre splits to meticulously planning nutrition to coordinating life around long runs, you can spend a lot of hours thinking about yourself.
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To counteract all that “me time,” consider running for a higher cause by signing up to raise money for a charity or taking part in a charity race, or joining an organization like Achilles International in which you guide a runner to the finish line of a race.
This can give you a more meaningful sense of purpose and change your perspective on why you run, says DeRienzo. “Doing something for the greater good, while also combining something that you love, is really rewarding,” she explains.
How to make it happen: Lots of races, including all the major marathons, have charity fundraiser components, in which you gain entry by raising a certain amount of money for a specific cause.
You can also look for races near you that support causes that are meaningful to you, such as animal rights or Alzheimer’s disease. It may seem at first that you need to raise thousands of dollars, but there are typically options with minimum fundraising amounts, DeRienzo says. Many charitable organizations also provide guidance and resources for successful fundraising. “They don’t just throw you out to the wolves,” she adds.
5. Lean Into Fun Runs
Instead of training for the large, serious races, like big city marathons, pivot your focus to completing as many local fun-themed events as you can, whether that be a donut-themed 5K, a dog mile competition, a 10K midnight run, or any number of holiday-themed races, such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and July 4th.
“There might not be a fancy finish line at the end,” says DeRienzo, but you’ll have a chance to connect with other area runners (which can help build your running community!), while embracing the lighthearted side of the sport.
How to make it happen: Search for local fun runs near you and/or ask folks at your local running store or running group about nearby happenings. Then, “set a goal around attending all the community runs in your neighborhood,” suggests Jeter. Many communities even offer summer race series that will keep you running through the season.
6. Try to PR in a Shorter Distance
Like we mentioned, long-distance races, like the half and full marathon, get a lot of hype, but you’ll feel super accomplished when you crush a shorter-distance race, like 10Ks, 5Ks, or even mile (1.6kms) runs.
In these races, you can focus on speed and form details, says Jeter. Plus, you’ll gain some pretty awesome fitness benefits in the process, like increased muscle, stronger bones, and greater anaerobic endurance.
It’s likely, too, that if you do take part in a longer-distance event your target pace for a half or marathon should feel pretty easy by comparison, says Montanez.
How to make it happen: Put a shorter distance race of your choice on the calendar, then follow our expert-backed guide for skyrocketing your speed.
7. Go for Time Instead of Distance
If you find yourself caught up in a swirl of comparisons—either with others or yourself—tracking your efforts by time instead distance can help tamp down an unhealthy competitive drive.
As Jeter explains: When running for distance, you tend to focus on your pace and how fast you think you should be running to complete that effort. With a time-based approach, you can more easily focus on how the run feels while you’re out there, not worrying about how far you go. This helps you direct your attention to meeting yourself where you’re at and celebrating the journey one step at a time.
How to make it happen: To challenge your pace and distance mentality, all you need to do is lace up, head out the door, and see just how long, time-wise, you’re able to comfortably run in one push. You’re in charge of the rules here, so if you prefer a run/walk approach, reframe the challenge to be: “How long can I be outside on my feet?” says Jeter.
If you’re training for a race or other event, you can do a time run whenever you need a break from your other training and goal-setting. It’s a great way to just enjoy yourself and not feel beholden to a pace or mileage.
8. Make Recovery a Priority
Challenging yourself to actually do all the important recovery activities like foam rolling, hydrating, and sleeping isn’t the sexiest goal, but you’ll reap serious benefits. “I’m 33 and my body has, I feel like, only gotten in better shape and recovered faster as I’ve gotten older,” says Jeter, who attributes her success to habits like prerun warmups, postworkout cooldowns, and quality nutrition.
By committing to a solid recovery plan, “it’s gonna make that next time you show up feel so much better,” says Jeter.
Make it happen: Set your sights on one recovery-related goal—like doing a five-minute warmup before each run, or consuming water and a carb and protein-rich snack after every workout—and take stock of how you feel after one week. “I can guarantee you’re already going to feel better,” says Jeter, and those positive vibes will hopefully inspire you to make it a long-lasting habit.
Even if you have a run streak going, you can use active recovery as part of that goal. Slow your pace or add walks into your run in order to achieve both your streak and your recovery goals.
