New Year! New You!

It’s a brand new year! Happy New Year 2017!

Running is boring! It’s hard. It hurts. It’s lonely. And it doesn’t give you immediate results…That’s my inner voice speaking….LOL

While we don’t think any of these are necessarily good excuses (or altogether true!), we don’t understand it’s not always love at first run for anyone who ever decides to lace up and hit the pavement.

Whether you’re a total beginner intimidated to take those first steps or you’ve recently taken a wrong turn straight into a running rut, I am here to help you get moving in the right direction. Let me share some tips for finding fun on the run.

1.Forget the past

Whatever feelings or fears you associate with running-leave them in your dust! Being a runner isn’t about speed or skill; it is a mindset.Whether you run a 4-minute mile or a 15-minute mile, all it takes is a pair of shoes and the desire to get out the door!

2.Set a goal

Establishing a goal for each run ( even if it’s just to not walk!) creates benchmarks of your progress and a sense of accomplisment. I used the lamp post when I was getting started, each time I ran, I told myself to make it to “one more pole”. Eventually, you might find yourself setting even crazier goals.

3. Buddy up

Yes, it can be isolating to run alone, but there’s plenty of road to share. Find a friend, catch up while running and the miles will fly by as you chat! Studies have shown ‘ couples who run together, stay together’…..LOL

4. Discover the road not taken

If you ate the same food for lunch everyday, you’d inevitably get bored, and it’s the same with running. Running is the best way to see new spots and explore somewhere new on foot!

5. Race. Race. Race.

Pick out an upcoming race and actually pay the registration fee. Paying cold hard cash for something makes it harder to slack off on your training. With so many events to choose- from colorful fun runs to muddy races to marathons- most runners, just like me, getting into the race environment can be incredibly motivating and inspiring!

Maybe running isn’t for everyone, but you won’t know until you try- and these are some ways to at least have fun while doing so. When you’re getting started, the fight is as much mental as it is physical. You want running to be fun, right? I assure you, it’s not going to be. But once you can find the mental strenght to push through the initial tough ones, the runs that follow will truly be a blast!

And for my first run for 2017- see you there at the Twincity marathon on the 15th January at Cyberjaya. I will be attempting my 2nd 21 KM half marathon. Woot woot!