We’ve all had those mornings when we lace up our sneakers and find that our heart’s just not in it. When you’ve already tried downloading a new playlist, adding in fartleks, and dropping a small fortune on fancy new shoes, yet you’re still feeling meh, these tips will help you shake off your running ennui.
OK, we can’t guarantee it. But we did survey the experts—as well as the speediest Men’s Journal staffers and friends—to find out what they do when they want to reignite their excitement for running. Because, let’s face it: As meditative as running can be, it can also be tedious. After a while, the comfort of a familiar route can grow humdrum.
1. Sprint the stairs
Ten or 15 minutes will get your heart rate up, work your legs and abs, test your balance, and engage your brain. Plus, if you have a hilly race coming up, this type of interval training will help get you prepped. Don’t be surprised: You’ll be sucking oxygen big-time the first few ascents. Stick with it for three or four reps and you’ll get in the groove.
2. If you run at night, go in the morning
Yeah, getting up early is rough, but there’s something invigorating about running when the sun rises. And get- ting your miles in early gives you a sense of accomplishment that may carry you through the day (and avoids any nighttime excuses). Bonus: Research from Appalachian State University finds that morning exercisers lower their blood pressure more than those who go in the afternoon or evening—and they sleep better, too.
3. ...and if you go early, run at night
If you’re used to shaking off stiffness in your first couple of morning miles, you might find an evening run is easier, since your muscles are pliable from moving around all day, says Jason Fitzgerald, author of Running for Health and Happiness. Plus, you’ve been eating all day, filling up your tank, unlike morning runners, who are exercising in a fasting state. And if you had a bad day at the office, you can take it out on the road, which is certainly healthier than drinking your feelings.
4. Get outta town
Running the routes near your home can get monotonous. You might get a kick from a change in scenery, and it doesn’t have to be all that drastic. Jump in your car and go to a local nature preserve or trail. Or take a day trip to a nearby city and include a running segment. You can even plan your own mini-event, roping in your significant other or a group of friends. Map out a point-to-point adventure. Try taking a train or bus to a different town and running home or even hoofing it to a different train station and hopping a ride back into the city while enjoying your recovery drink of choice.
5. Go off-roading
Trails are the antidote for the pace-obsessed. Uneven terrain forces you to slow down and temporarily break up with your split time. Plus, it tests your balance and stabilizing muscles, says Mario Fraioli, a run coach in San Francisco. Also, trails are beautiful.
6. Race a 5K
A lot of runners would tell you to pick a big, hairy, life-affirming goal. Don’t. Do a 5K instead. It was likely the first race you ever signed up for, it’s welcoming of all ages and abilities, and there’s probably one in your area this Saturday that’s not even sold out. “5Ks can be run every weekend, marathons can’t,” says Andrew Kastor, a distance-running coach. “If someone is unhappy with their result on race morning, they can bounce back and find another one that same month.” It’s less of an undertaking—and that’s a good thing. The training doesn’t require monk-like discipline, it’s affordable (whereas, for instance, a New York City Marathon bib is $295), and it places little wear and tear on your body, leaving plenty of time and energy to pursue other workouts—or hobbies. Even at 3.1 miles, it’ll give you a pre-race rush, and you’ll get to the post-race beers that much faster.
7. Take a Runcation
Better yet, do it soon. These June races might be just what you need to pick up the pace. Choose a race distance that you’re already comfortable with. That way you can focus on what you need to bring.
GRAB YOUR PASSPORT
It’s more fun to see a place on foot than from a tour bus, and many foreign locales host travel-worthy races, such as the STOCKHOLM MARATHON (June 2). The Swedish capital in particular is a great city for runners. The fast, flat course takes you over bridges and along the waterways, past the Royal Palace, and through the Djurgården, an island park in the middle of town. Pro tip: Plan your trip to race first and sightsee after. That way, you can eat and drink with abandon. If you arrive undertrained, drop down to a shorter distance. You’ve flown all that way, and you don’t want to spend the rest of your vacation hobbling around.
GRAB YOUR PALS
Ragnar races take you and a team of friends on point-to-point routes that continue day and night. One of our favorites: Aspen, Colorado, for RAGNAR TRAIL SNOWMASS (June 8–9). Teams of eight (or four to make it an ultra) complete as many laps as they can in 24 hours. Decide ahead of time if you’re running for time or for fun, so everyone goes in with the same expectations.
GRAB YOUR COMPASS
Hopefully you won’t really get lost in the woods, but don’t expect any spectators lining the course of the YELLOWSTONE HALF MARATHON (June 9), which takes place just outside the park on the Montana side. The elevation starts at more than 6,500 feet and goes up from there, but the scenic overlooks and wildlife sightings will make you forget your lungs are on fire.
GRAB YOUR BUG SPRAY
Pick your distance, from 5K to 50 miles, at THE NORTH FACE ENDURANCE CHALLENGE SERIES, MASSACHUSETTS (June 9–10), set at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, less than a two-hour drive from Boston. The course is a mix of fire roads, singletrack, and multi-use trails.
8. Ditch your tracker
For a day. Or a week. Maybe longer. “More data is valuable until it becomes problematic,” Fitzgerald says. You might have gone for a perfectly great run, except you were a minute off your normal pace and now you’re annoyed. Or you spend the whole time doing pace mathematics in your head and never give your mind a chance to wander. Think of it as an exercise in discovery. You may find you vary your speeds more, explore different routes on a whim, or notice the details of the terrain with greater interest. You’ll also have more head space to listen to your body’s cues of energy and fatigue.
9. Buy new socks
Conventional wisdom says you get out of a running rut with a new pair of shoes. But a new pair of socks can give you that same emotional bounce. Splurge on a nice technical pair. (We like the Vertex Over-the-Calf Light by Darn Tough for $25.)
10. Try the treadmill
Yeah, we can’t believe we’re suggesting it, either. But it has legit pluses. If you’ve been having trouble with a speed plateau, a treadmill can force you to get over it. And despite what your hardcore runner friends say, running in a downpour sucks.
12. Join a pack
Running with others keeps you accountable and—if you like the person—gives you something to look forward to. Pick a partner who’s faster than you and work on your speed, or find a buddy who’s a little slower and use those days for recovery and simply enjoying the run. Your local shoe store may have a meet up for group runs, too. A study from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine found that people who worked out in groups were happier physically, mentally, and emotionally than those who exercised alone.
13. Switch directions
Go your normal route in reverse. It’s a whole new run. You’re welcome.
Other news
