3 Tips to Stay Motivated When There are No Races

As runners, we like to think of ourselves as a motivated bunch, willing to make big sacrifices for our training.

But for a lot of us, this motivation stems from knowing that we are working towards a big goal, in most cases a particular event.

So what happens when all running events are cancelled? We might promise ourselves that we’ll carry on training with the same intensity but before long the motivation begins to slip and we might even find ourselves questioning the point of it all.

Physical exercise is not only great for our body but also our mind. It can add joy to our day and help restore inner balance at a time when it has never been more important.

So how can we stay motivated?

Firstly, don’t feel guilty – a LOT of people have been feeling EXACTLY the same way this year.

We’ve put together three tips below to help you make the most of the situation and turn a negative in to a positive.

Set a Non-Race Goal

Not all goals have to be race related. With a little bit of creative thinking you can come up with the perfect goal specifically for you. Here are some ideas:

• Start a run streak – Commit to running at least 3km every day. Bonus points if you can find a friend to do this with!
• Improve your PB – Work on your speed and complete a 5km time trial every month.
• Improve your form – Without the pressure of a race, it could be a great time to work on your cadence.
• Set a monthly distance goal – Pick a challenging monthly distance goal and commit to it, you can even plan a generous reward for completing it.

Virtual Races

Virtual Races have been the saviour for a lot of runners this year. Some are one-off distances to be completed in one go and some are month long challenges.

Heart and Soles offer a wide variety of awesome Virtual Races for all levels and if you’re looking for a blockbuster virtual event then you should definitely take a look at Virtual Melbourne Marathon.

Perfect Opportunity to Scale Back and Mend

Do you often find yourself carrying niggles? Now could be the perfect time to fix them! You can scale back your training and focus on thoroughly mending yourself without having to be concerned about an impending race.

Maybe work on your flexibility or strengthening any muscle imbalances you may have. Your body will appreciate it and you’ll be able to come back better than ever when normality is restored.

Whatever steps you decide to take or not to take, remember not to be too down on yourself. It’s been a wild ride of a year and adding unnecessary guilt for not training your hardest will not help at all.

Remember why you started running. Focus on enjoying it and you can’t go far wrong!