Photo: Asics Relay 2019

Get Motivated With Running!

No matter how much you love running, everyone experiences dips in motivation sometimes. Here are 5 useful tips to help you maintain your motivation levels and keep up your running habit!

1. Gear up

Make sure you have the right clothes and shoes. That means they should fit right and feel good – so they don’t cause discomfort or, worse, abrasions or friction burns!

What to look out for:

• Clothing should not be too tight, as it can hamper blood circulation
• Moisture-wicking materials can help draw sweat away from the skin for comfort during long runs
• Shoes should wrap comfortably around your feet and offer good support
  

2. Friendly competition

Looking for some extra motivation to keep you on your toes? Try scheduling regular runs with teammates, friends or even your family members. This can help keep you accountable and spur you to stick to your runs.

3. Make it fun

Consider putting on some music or listening to an audiobook. If you’re running indoors on a treadmill, you could even put on the latest episode of your favourite show, or an educational video so you can learn something new while getting your cardio on. You’d be surprised at how you won’t want to stop running because you want to listen to the next song, find out what happens next in the book or show, or simply because the online lesson isn’t over yet!

4. Track your runs

It could be as simple as tracking your runs in a journal or calendar, or as advanced as monitoring your run distance, duration, heart rate, oxygen saturation levels and more using a fitness tracker. The consistency and progress will motivate you to keep up your efforts!

5. Set goals

Set specific, measurable goals that help you see your progress. For beginners, focus on smaller, bite-sized goals, like picking up your pace and progressing from jogging to running and gradually increasing your run mileage. If you’re an experienced runner, you could also aim for bigger, more impressive goals, like accomplishing your first marathon or breaking a personal record. 

Take 18-year old Mark Lee for example. The final year Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student set his sights on breaking his school's national record of 10.70s. 

"That was my hope...I had an inkling I could go under 10.6 (seconds)," he said, and he was driven to do his best to achieve those results. 

"When I heard the time, it was like a dream!" he recalls.

Having broken this record, he now says, "I just want to push myself as far as I cam. For me, it's about self betterment, self-improvement. It's not about meeting anyone else's expectations...it's just my own."

Check out the motivation to succeed amongst Singapore's student athletes not just in track & field but in other sports too, as they compete in The National School Games 2022!