Last week, I also had issues coordinating with Katie for our runs. We only completed one of our three runs. I am having difficulty keeping her motivated to continue running and working towards her goal. Additionally, the hot weather isn’t helping with my motivation attempts (If you want tips on how to run in the summer heat check out my blog on May, 30th). I am hoping to be able to run with her more this week and next week as the race is only 10 days away. We will be attempting the runs outlined for last week for this week’s workouts. However, I have outlined below what would have been our week 7 runs.
| Workout 1- 32 minutes | Workout 2- 32 minutes | Workout 3- 32 minutes |
| Brisk five minute warm up walk then 28 minutes of running ( or 2.75 miles) | Brisk five minute warm up walk then 28 minutes of running ( or 2.75 miles) | Brisk five minute warm up walk then 28 minutes of running ( or 2.75 miles) |
Tips for Keeping your Running Motivation
Additionally, based on my experience with Katie I thought it may help to provide some tips for keeping motivated. I compiled a list of 10 tips from two articles (Hennick, 2007; Luff, 2013) that provided ways on staying motivated.
- Buddy run- find some running buddies
- Keep a log – write down your schedule and goals
- Go early- it is easier to go earlier before you get busy with other responsibilities
- Reward yourself- with some new running gear or some other type of reward
- Don’t think it’s all or nothing – meaning if you don’t have time for a long run just go for quick 2 miles or 20 minutes (or what you have time for)
- Remember the health benefits – every mile you run burns approximately 100 calories
- Cut yourself some slack – sometimes your runs won’t work out, try again tomorrow
- Think you don’t have time to run? – You probably could cut something out of your day to make time for a run
- Remember your goals and share them with others - this can help you stay motivated to work towards your goals
- Have fun – make sure you have fun with it!
References:
Burfoot, A. (n.d.). The 8-week beginner’s program. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/beginners/the-8-week-beginners-program
Clark, J. (n.d.). The couch-to-5km running plan. Retrieved fromhttp://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml?page=single
Hennick, C. (2007, March 22). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/101-kicks-butt?page=single
Luff, C. (2013, February 22). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://running.about.com/od/motivation/tp/motivationtips.htm
Image source: http://www.sxc.hu/

I thought an important running tip this week would be how to begin your run. Should I stretch? What do I do before my run? Before you run, you do not necessarily need to stretch. The beginning of your run should be spent warming up, while the closing minutes should be spent cooling down. Roberts (2013) mentions that newer data does not support stretching before your run. Instead, it is suggested that you spend this time warming up or strength training to help reduce injury. This is why I have outlined the 5 minute brisk warm up walk before all the workouts.
stairs in my running gear, he gets an ear to ear grin on his big goofy face. We run together about once a week, during any season of the year. When he was young and energetic, Tanner used to be able to run with me during my longer and quicker runs, however, he is now 8 years old and it is too hard on him to come on these runs. Therefore, I only bring him on my slower recovery runs. This post is going to describe how to begin running with your furry friend. I think most runners will find running with their dogs very enjoyable… and your dog will love it too!
unning etiquette; my father taught Tanner from the beginning that when he was on a leash to always walk on my left side, to never bark and to leave his bathroom duty for the backyard (yes that’s right; he is the best dog ever!). However, not all dog owners will be this lucky. Dogs won’t know what to do on a run without your help. Aschwanden (2010) provided some suggestions on teaching your dog the ropes of running:
Additionally, this week Katie was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma. She described the Asthma while running as the feeling of something heavy sitting on her chest. Exercise Induced Asthma occurs when a person’s airways tighten and produce additional mucus (“Exercised-induced asthma”). Exercise can be a trigger but it doesn’t mean that you cannot exercise (“Exercised-induced asthma”). Katie’s doctor provided her with the proper medication to treat this condition. Understanding and treating her Asthma will assist her with reaching her goals. I am glad she found out about this condition early in our running program. Running will likely be easier now that she has it under control.
8 Types of Runs:
y Rest Days Help?