I must confess. As a fitness trainer and martial art coach, I don’t like running at all. I had low motivation to run and therefore I kept exploring. From my years of exploration, I managed to find many useful tricks to make myself run a few times a week and reaped tremendous benefits out of it. I feel energetic, lively, and full of vigor most of the time. This has made me slowly fall in love with this activity that I hate. I know, it’s complex.
So here are the secret tricks, both from myself and my runner friends.
1. Set an interesting destination
Maybe there are some small attractions of the town that you haven’t visited. Maybe there is a cultural cite or an old alley of your childhood that you have meant to check out but kept missing your busy schedule. Here are some ideas:
A. Grocery shopping
I use my grocery shopping needs as the run motivation. Whenever I need to go for grocery, I choose to run to the grocery store. Which store I choose depends on how far I would like to run that day. Sometimes I take a detour to make the run a bit longer. This has worked in sync with my other goal: home cook as much as I can. Both for better health.
B. Parks, attractions, shopping malls
Maybe there is a small park a few kilometers away from your house or workplace, a canal or greenery that are relaxing to stroll along, or even a shopping mall with your favorite stores. Try using them as your destination so you look forward to the run.
C. CNA’s “Up Your Alley” Series
Channel News Asia introduced a new series in Nov 2020 to uncover hidden gems around Singapore. These are not the big famous attractions that most people have been to, but some cultural and heritage experience that’s worth exploring – a different type of tour to serve your run motivation.
D. Do a brainstorming for yourself
Only you know yourself the best. What are some other destinations that can motivate you? For me, as a cat lover, I also carry treats and run to some places with stray cats. These lovely furry friends are a huge motivation for me to pay the place a visit.
2. Use your “guilty” desire
It is never healthy to go for the extreme, even for clean eating. Bubble teas are not the devil; too much calories are. So if you have some unquenchable desire such as bubble tea, you can set the bubble tea store as your running destination. Doesn’t the bubble tea taste even better after a good sweaty run?
3. Order your meal and pick up
Thanks to Food Panda’s “Pickup Your Meal” promotions, which often offer discounts as much as 15-30% when you choose to pick up your meals instead of having them delivered, it may worth a run to the restaurant/stall. Sometimes the restaurant is closing soon and I had to increase my running speed to catch them in time. Isn’t that great?!
4. Use technology
If you enjoy zombie and adrenaline-raising stories just like I do, you can try this interesting running app Zombies, Run! With this app, you can walk or jog while hearing your Zombie mission and music through your headphones. If you’re being chased by zombies, you’ll have to speed up.
Another amazing app is Relive. By recording your foot tracks with this app, whether you are walking, running, cycling, or hiking, and taking some photos along your way, you can keep a beautiful journal of your outdoor activities. The app makes stunning virtual 3D video tours of your journeys for you to boast to your friends. Who’s ready to show off?
5. Have fun with your footpath
Inspiration from a friend of mine, Kelvin Ng, who was having fun with drawing on the map with his feet during the COVID-19 lockdown period. A number of apps can help you do this, such as Footpath Route Planner.
6. Participate in virtual competitions
More and more organizations and companies are offering virtual run competitions and challenges following the pandemic. Some are free while some charge a small fee and offer prizes. They also offer you a community in the virtual space. You can invite your friends and family to participate in the virtual competition with you.
7. Make it a good cause
So there you are, seven tips for motivating your walk/jog/run. Regular cardiorespiratory exercises help you manage weight and keep chronic diseases at bay, fuel your energy and raise your spirits. Why not start planning now and explore a new lifestyle!
Did you know that your activity can be converted to meals for donation to the underprivileged? For example, the Vizer app donates a meal on your behalf every day you reach your steps / activity goal.
How about you? What’s your best run motivation? Share with us!
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