By Marnie Kunz

These running tips will help you bust through any slump. Whether you’ve been feeling down or are tired of the same routine, these training tips can help you get motivated again, while being mindful of your body and taking care of your mental health. Also, keep in mind that every runner has times of lower motivation, and sometimes taking some rest days is all you need to get your body and mind ready to run again. If you’ve tried a few rest days and still feel like you’re in a slump, follow these running tips to get back to running again:

12 Running Tips to Break Through the Blahs

ASSESS YOUR HEALTH

Make sure you’re not lacking in motivation due to any running injuries or physical causes. If you have lingering pain or health issues, see your doctor or a physical therapist to address the issue. If you have a generally run-down feeling, this can be caused by overtraining, so some rest days are in order. Take some time to recover and let your body heal and when you’re healthy again and ready, you’ll feel reinvigorated to run. Make sure you eat enough also, getting plenty of nutrients to fuel your runs in the form of complex carbs, proteins, and healthy fats.

SET A RUNNING GOAL

If you don’t have a purpose for your running, it will be hard to get motivated to run, especially on days when you feel tired or the weather is crappy. Set a specific, measurable, and attainable running goal. It doesn’t have to be a huge goal like running the Boston Marathon (although it can be!) but can be as simple as running 5 times a week or running a certain amount of miles per month. Write down your goal to keep yourself accountable. Signing up for a race such as a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon can also give you a measurable and motivating goal to work toward.

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FOLLOW A TRAINING PLAN

Whether you get a professional run coaching plan or design your own training program, having a blueprint and goal for your workouts will help you stay motivated. A good training plan will challenge you and build your fitness level while minimizing your risk of injuries. If you don’t have a training plan, it’s easy to get lost in the vague “get fit” idea without a specific goal and training plan, and you’ll lose momentum and motivation without a plan and measurable results.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Measure your progress with a running app or running watch and you’ll be able to see how you’re advancing with your training. Many smartwatches offer milestones and virtual incentives for an extra boost of motivation, and you can even program your own workouts into Garmin to pull up on your watch (see my article on how to program your Garmin for help with this).

MIX UP YOUR WORKOUTS

One of the easiest ways to get burned out on running is to run the same route at the same pace every day. Many beginning runners do not incorporate the easy-hard or progressive overload principle into training, and it leaves you stuck in a rut and not making progress. Make sure you vary your distance and intensity in your workouts each week so you don’t hit a wall with your running.

FIND NEW ROUTES

If you have been running on the same running loops in your neighborhood, try mixing things up by finding some new running routes. Check out local parks or running trails, or go to a local track for some speed workouts. Adding a change of scenery to your routine will do wonders to reinvigorate your running.

GET SOCIAL

Join a local running club or run with a friend or companion such as your dog. Having company on the run is a great way to enjoy the miles more and boost your motivation and accountability.

BE FLEXIBLE

One of the most useful running tips to bust through your slump is to be flexible. Set realistic goals and be flexible in your approach to them. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a workout or having to take an extra rest day if you’ve been training too hard. Instead, get back on track the next time you run, and aim for consistency. A missed workout every once in a while or an extra rest day will not hurt you.

FOCUS ON SMALL VICTORIES

Celebrate small milestones. If you’re still struggling with motivation, focus on small victories. Each run is a small victory. Celebrate each milestone that you achieve, no matter how small.

RE-ASSESS YOUR RUNNING GOALS

Re-evaluate your goals. Sometimes you may feel unmotivated because your goals are unrealistic or not challenging enough. Re-evaluating your goals regularly can help you get back on track. I recommend re-evaluating your fitness goals every month to adjust as needed and assess where you’re at with running.

MINDSET MATTERS

Work on cultivating a positive mindset. Use mantras, visualization, or meditation to help you train your mind to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. Also, remember that running slumps are normal, and they happen to everyone from beginning runners to pro athletes. Stay positive and keep trying. You will get back on track eventually.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Consistency is the main ingredient that will help you make progress. I have coached runners who have missed a workout or two and then just stopped running altogether and come to me panicking. Keep the big picture in mind and recognize that you may not hit every speed workout time or meet every mileage goal you set for yourself, but the key is to keep moving and stay healthy.

Happy running to you, and may you enjoy many more runs to come! Tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on.😊👟

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

12 Running Tips to End Your Slump