Don’t be a one-month wonder – stay motivated by running

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With January barely behind us, we know that the cold, dark winter months can affect our motivation, giving us an excuse to stay indoors when our New Year’s resolutions start to crumble in the face of temptation.

A survey carried out by everyday healthcare company, Simplyhealth, revealed that 68% of people are happy if they can maintain their New Year’s Fitness resolution for just one month and 30% said they were not confident that they could keep their exercise based resolutions going into February.

If you’ve managed to shift your activity levels up a gear over the last few weeks, but you’re worried you won’t be able to keep it up, set yourself a goal to keep you focused into the spring.

Entering a running event is the perfect target for your training, so why not sign up to the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k, which takes place on Sunday 13 May? Having an aim on the horizon will keep you running, even if you don’t really feel like it.

Runners compete in the Bristol 10k. Photograph by Robbie Stephenson / JMP

Thousands of runners take part in the event, all with their own reasons for staying active. Julie Jenner, a 51-year-old teaching assistant started running in early 2016 to help her with her recovery from breast cancer.

Julie started training in her local park during her initial rounds of chemotherapy and signed up to run her first 10k to try something new to mark the end of her treatment.

She said: “Prior to my diagnosis I was so unfit. I couldn’t walk to the end of the road without being seriously out of breath. I had smoked since the age of 17 and generally not taken care of myself.

“Things had to change. I now run with The Wotton Trotters and our motto is no-one is too slow and no-one runs alone! Running has become a vital part of my life and the social side of it is as important as the physical exercise for motivation.

“While I will never win any prizes for speed I just feel thrilled to be able to run at all! I truly believe it’s all about believing in yourself. My only regret is I didn’t do this years ago.”

Photograph by Robbie Stephenson / JMP

If you want to keep your New Year’s running Resolution on track, here are three things you can do to stay motivated:

• TREAT YOURSELF
The beauty of running is its simplicity – all you need is a pair of trainers and you’re sorted but revamping your running wardrobe is also a perfect motivator for going out for a run.

• SHARE THE LOVE
25% of people who were surveyed also agreed that they rely on social media for helping to motivate them to stick with their exercise-themed resolution.
Social media is a great way to stay motivated. Every run you go on and every goal you meet, share it on your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram– or all of them!

You never know, you could inspire someone else to pick up their running shoes and make a positive change just like you have.

• SET A GOAL
Keep it realistic. Set yourself a goal that you’d like to reach by the end of the year, whether it’s a completing a 10k, losing ten pounds or just getting out of the house for ten minutes a day! Write it down – use a diary if that works for you, and set small, attainable goals.

Entering an event is the perfect motivator for many people, you can be your greatest this year at the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k. Every runner has a story, it’s time to start yours.

To set yourself a running goal at the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k on Sunday 13 May, visit: Greatrun.org/Bristol10k

Simplyhealth is the title sponsor of the event. For fitness inspiration across the year visit www.millionsmoving.co.uk