What makes the difference between runners who quit and runners who keep on running? It’s not time constraints, injuries, or a slow finish in a race. It’s motivation.
To keep your feet pounding the pavement – or the trail – we’ve prepared a big dose of running inspiration for you. Let’s start with some tips.
In This Article:
11 Tips for Running Inspiration
Running motivation is not something you are born with. It’s not a fixed quantity. It’s an active driving force, something you can increase in many ways. Don’t wait for motivation to come to you. Go after it. Here’s how.
1. Listen to music that moves you
According to research, synchronizing running with music can help you run better. The best running songs are upbeat. You may find songs with 120 to 145 beats per minute (BPM) best when running. But it’s good to experiment with different BMPs too.
Create a running playlist with songs you listen to only when you run. That way, your running playlist will act as a motivating trigger and put you into running mode.
Tip: To find your running BMP, set a stopwatch for 60 seconds and run at your desired pace. Count how many times your right foot strikes the ground and multiply that by two.
2. Keep track with a running app
How much? How long? How fast? Keeping track of your runs will help you measure your progress.
A running app makes logging miles and run times a simple process so you can focus on the running experience.
Try the Joggo app if you don’t have it already. Joggo makes tracking your runs and achieving goals easier with personalized running plans.
3. Set goals to challenge yourself
Few things can motivate a runner more than personal running goals. Each goal is like a stepping stone to building a stronger you.
Start small with attainable goals like running for a specific distance or totaling a certain number of miles a week. Each small goal will add up to bring big goals like running a marathon within your reach.
Goals imbue your running with purpose, and purpose is a strong motivating force. Always have running goals. And always keep them realistic.
4. Get the running gear you love
A pair of running shoes that feel soft as clouds. Wicking running clothes that keep you cool during summer runs. A running vest that makes carrying a water bottle easy. All of these can make the experience of running more enjoyable.
You don’t need much gear to run. Good running shoes and comfortable clothes are enough. So, make the little that you need count by buying quality.
Having a great pair of running shoes means you’ll enjoy lacing them up each time. And you’ll enjoy running with them even more.
5. Be part of a running community
Running alone is great, but running with others can be wonderful. Joining a running community can make your life as a runner richer and help you meet wonderful people. More than anything, it can motivate you to become a better runner and keep on going even on tough days.
You can get lots of running inspiration from Facebook groups. Here are some of the best running groups out there. Try them out.
- Beginner Runners Support Group – Discover personal stories of runners at the beginning of their running journey and share your own. Plus, find lots of tips on nutrition and training.
- The Running Community – Over 35,000 members strong, this vibrant group is open to runners of all levels. It’s a great online group for meeting other runners.
- Running and Race Training Group – With over 40,000 members, this is one of the most popular running groups for competitive runners.
- Women’s Runner Community – Running is a great way to have a more active lifestyle, and that’s what this group is all about. Great for women who are just starting to run.
- Running Motivation Group – As the name of this group suggests, it was created to help runners keep on going even when the going gets tough.
- Runners Helping Runners – Interested in everything to do with running? Try out this group for smart discussions across all experience levels.
- Still I Run – With a focus on running as a way to become mentally tougher, this group is great if you run to cope with life’s stresses. And if you want to take advantage of the health benefits of running.
6. Cross-train
Cross-training adds variety to your workouts, breaking the monotony of repeat runs. It has many benefits for runners. It can help you develop more balanced muscle groups and boost your cardiovascular fitness by helping you train more muscles more often.
Cross-training can also help you continue to train even when a running injury prevents you from running.
Some of the best cross-training activities for runners include swimming, cycling, rollerblading, hiking, and yoga.
7. Plan for a race
Running just because you love running is great. But if after a time you start to feel certain boredom creep over you, set your eyes on a race.
It doesn’t have to be a marathon or ultramarathon. Start small with a 5K, 10K, or half marathon.
Preparing for a race will challenge you physically and mentally.
8. Look out for your diet
What you eat can fuel your runs. Or load you down and make you feel like not getting up from the couch anytime soon.
If you run long distances, you’ll need to take in more calories than the average sedentary person. You also need enough protein to feel full for longer and keep blood sugar levels in check.
Eating the right foods before running is important. Think healthy, easy-to-digest carbs like oatmeal. Also crucial is staying hydrated and replenishing lost electrolytes.
Don’t forget about healthy fats, which are a key source of energy during endurance training. Olive oil, avocado oil, and nuts are healthy choices.
After workouts, eat a protein-rich meal – proteins will help your tissues repair and recover. Dietary supplements, including protein powder, can help you eat healthy as a runner without loading yourself with calories.
9. Runner’s high is real!
Some runners run for it alone – that feeling of euphoria you get during and/or after a run. Whether it’s caused by endorphins or endocannabinoids, runner’s high is real.
Feeling it becomes easier if you run for long enough to let go of thoughts and worries. Eating well and getting enough sleep also helps.
After runs, take some time to experience the runner’s high. Stay there in the moment.
10. Reward yourself
Running isn’t supposed to be easy. You’re going to put in a lot of work. Recognize your efforts by praising yourself for perseverance. Do not simply recognize successes or long-term objectives.
Reward yourself for every workout you complete. Whether you do it by eating food you love, watching a favorite movie, or going out for a drink – every reward counts. Plan your rewards and claim them as you keep on running.
For personal records (PR), give yourself special rewards. What does PR mean in the gym or running if not a good reason to celebrate?
11. Enjoy the trail and connect to nature
Running in nature can do wonders for your mood and motivation. Trail runs are a great way to leave behind the stress and bustle of the city and connect with nature. The sights, sounds, and feel of the trail beneath your feet will make the whole experience richer.
Make sure you take the time to enjoy the scenery. Slow down to a walk if you must and breathe in deeply the wonderful nature around you.
Try Joggo for FREE
We combined exercise and meal planning for the most effective way to LOSE WEIGHT.
Exploring new trails and returning to old favorite ones is a great way to stay motivated as a runner. That way, each run becomes so much more than a workout – it becomes connected with nature.
15 Inspirational Running Quotes to Stay Motivated
Where do other runners find the motivation to run? And what keeps them going? From track quotes to mental running quotes, our selection of running quotes is packed with memorable and inspiring words.
Discover now some of the most powerful running motivation quotes.
1. “Someone who is busier than you is running right now.” — Nike
2. “If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.” — Christopher McDougall
3. “I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.” — Ronald Rook
4. “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.” — John Bingham
5. “Running is alone time that lets my brain unspool the tangles that build up over days…I run, pound it out on the pavement, channel that energy into my legs, and when I’m done with my run, I’m done with it.” — Rob Haneisen
6. “Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running.” — Sarah Condor
7. “Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” — Julie Isphording
8. “Running is flying intermittently.” ― Alain Bremond-Torrent
9. “There’s not one body type that equates to success. Accept the body you have and be the best you can be with it.” — Mary Cullen
10. “The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other… but to be with each other.” — Christopher McDougall
11. “I always loved running…it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.” — Jesse Owens
12. “Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see.” — Jimmy Buffett
13. “It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination.” — John Bingham
14. “I’ll be happy if running and I can grow old together.” — Haruki Murakami
15. “As we run, we become.” — Amby Burfoot
In the end, remember that lacing up those shoes and going for runs is one of the best ways to motivate yourself. Each new run experience with its runner’s high will increase your motivation. Run to keep on running!
