A lot of people start running so that they can meet some weight loss or fitness goal. They start running with a lot of enthusiasm. But slowly and steadily, the novelty wears off and they come to a point where even the thought of waking up early in the morning seems like a daunting task.
Runners who lose weight make sure they run regularly, or at least 3 or 4 times a week. But running is a repetitive activity. Something which many people will find a very boring way to exercise. But you can remake your running and reignite your enthusiasm.
New route every time
One of the basic reasons why running is boring is because people take the same route day in and day out. I do this all the time. I have favorite routes that I know and love. But your mind forms a basic map of the route and then it does not need to focus on the route anymore. On the positive side, this lets you concentrate on your breathing and biomechanics. Or for me: zen time of creativity. On the negative side, it can focus on irrelevant things like how bored you are or how tired you are. All these factors go against you and will hamstring your plans for consistency. (Though eventually they will be good practice for covering 42 km. Now the best way to avoid this boredom is to take a new route every single time you head for a run. Now this can be impossible, but even a varying of your route a few times a week will do wonders for your mind. Avoid running in boring, mind numbing areas. Make sure you get a fantastic view when you are running. Or high traffic areas where you will see lots of different people.
Run backwards
This sounds stupid but running backwards actually works your calves. Backward running is not a natural motion, but you can get good enough to do it at speed. I do it on a stretch of my 24 km run that has a near deserted 4 km. Running backwards offers an incredible workout, improves your balance and coordination, and burns more calories than normal running. It also surprisingly places less stress on the knees. I've read of more and more runners doing it in the UK. Just make sure you look around to make sure you are not running into things or people.
Hill running
You don't have to run on flat surfaces. You can add a challenge to your workout routine by sprinting up a hill. If you've read my blog, you know that I am big fan of hill running. Hill running is a great, high-intensity workout that helps build speed, power and cardiovascular fitness. Not only will it burn more calories (as it is an against-the-gravity activity), but it will also strengthen the muscles around the knees, and build stamina and overall lower body strength.
Intervals
Sprinting helps the body to utilize oxygen effectively and to build up your stamina. Be it on a treadmill or on a street, do not run at a constant pace because your body eventually gets used to the activity and doesn't benefit as much. Several books I've read have suggested that sprint interval training burns body fat and builds endurance faster than slower paced endurance exercises. Though it seems that this conclusion is still in debate. A sprint workout is also great for days when you don't have too much time to run but want to fit in a short effective workout. I use it as such.
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