1 PARTNER UP
The problem
I used to clock around 80 kilometres a week, training for marathons. But now it’s more like 25 kilometres a week, and at times I struggle to find the urge to run those!
The fix
We’re more likely to adhere to our running regime if we have a training partner. It’s human nature not to want to let others down, especially when it comes to friends or family. Which is what makes a running partner one of the best ‘adherence’ strategies we know.
2 THE NON-WORK ETHIC
The problem
Running has become another job on my to-do list. I’m having to squeeze 10K runs into my busy day!
The fix
“If running feels like another chore, it can create a negative experience rather than an empowering one,” says Papillon Luck, personal trainer and founder of Liberté Fitness. Start running in your lunch hour and gain back some family time. You can do speed, interval and threshold runs, and tackle a steep local hill.
3 (GOOD) CAUSE AND EFFECT
The problem
I lack the incentive without a clear target in mind.
The fix
“Giving meaning to one’s strivings by connecting them to a very worthy cause [like running for a charity] can have a high motivational value,” says Monica Dorobantu, senior lecturer in sport psychology at University of Brighton, UK. “This combination means you have multiple standards for success and therefore multiple sources of satisfaction.”
