Top 10 Ways to Beat Boredom While Running
Running really is great exercise, but I think the majority of us can agree on the fact that it’s not
usually the most exciting. Some people love to run and could just keep going all day. If that’s you,
we salute you. For the rest of us, though, this top rated workout can get pretty old pretty quick.
Here are some tricks we’ve come up with to help you beat the boredom:
1.Set distance goals. Maybe this week, your goal is just one kilometre. Next week, though, you can
make it two or three kilometres. As you keep adding onto your final goal, you’ll want to keep
running to finally accomplish it. Similar to training for a long distance run, it’s that end number that
keeps you motivated. Start and slow and build your way up to a good distance.
2. Run with a friend. Whether he or she is on the treadmill next to you, or you’re running outside
together, having a friend makes running so much more entertaining. You can talk about what you
did this past weekend, gossip about the latest news you heard, or share all the details about that
date you went on last night (well maybe not all the details, but you get the idea). Talking and
running can be difficult, though, so make sure you stay at a pace that won’t cause you to have an
asthma attack halfway through. Even just the silent company of a friend can be motivating enough
to help make running better.
3. Try an interval run. Instead of the same boring speed the entire run, switch it up a little. Not only
will this distract you from watch the seconds go by on the clock, but it’s actually really healthy for
you and will help get you in seriously good shape. It doesn’t have to be a complicated workout, just
begin with a warm up and then switch back and forth between hard and easy running about every
two minutes. Don’t forget to end with a cool down run for five minutes.
4. Listen to a book. Not everyone loves to read, but almost everyone can find some book that they
find interesting. Download the audio version of it onto your iPod and start running. Instead of
basing your run on time or distance, you can commit yourself to run for a certain number of
chapters.
5. Zone out. Since you’re on a treadmill, you don’t have to have the same concentration that you
would if you were to run outside. You don’t have to think about anything except moving your legs.
Get into a rhythm and try to block out everything around you. The treadmill may not be quite as
relaxing as yoga, but it’s definitely possible to enter into a peaceful state and enjoy your run.
6. Switch up your playlist. I don’t care how much you love Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke or the new
Tom Odell album, at some point you need to change it up. You can only listen to the same playlist
for so long. After a while of running with the same songs playing over and over, you’ll actually
probably start to hate the songs. Save yourself from ruining good songs by changing playlists
frequently and putting your iPod on shuffle. Don’t forget to keep the songs upbeat and motivating!
7. Reward yourself. It’s important to reward yourself but don’t think that this means run to the
fridge and eat chocolate cake as soon as you finish a good run. Rewards can include little gifts to
yourself like going to see a movie, buying a new CD, or getting a new pair of sneakers. Spending
money every time you run would be ridiculous though, so save the bigger rewards for when you
accomplish tougher goals. Meeting smaller goals can be rewarded through watching a guilty
pleasure show on TV or just taking a long, relaxing shower without worrying about time. Simple
things can be good motivators; just knowing that you have something to look forward to after your
run can help you push through it.
8. Watch a movie or a TV show. With all of the streaming and downloading capabilities there are
these days, it’s really easy to watch shows on your phone, mp3 player, or tablet. Use your run as
time to catch up on your favourite shows or part of a movie that you’ve been wanting to see.
Watching TV engages your brain to forget about running and focus on the show. It makes time go a
lot quicker, and is my personal favourite boredom beater when I run on the treadmill!
9. Try a different machine. Maybe you’re not necessarily bored with running, but you’re bored of
the treadmill. The elliptical and bike don’t have the exact same benefits as the treadmill, but they
have other advantages, such as less stress on your knees. Rotating between different cardio
machines each week can help you fight off getting into a boring routine. You can use the elliptical
one day and the treadmill the next. If you get bored really easily, try switching up machines within
the same workout. Warm up on the elliptical, run on the treadmill, and cool down on the bike. The
options to keep your cardio interesting are endless!
10. Go outside! While I’m the first to choose running on the treadmill over going outside, there are
some benefits to doing cardio outside of the gym. Running outside allows you to see different areas,
houses, nature, people, animals, you name it. You can change up your route or turn different
directions whenever you want, which definitely keeps the run entertaining. Be careful when you run
outside though; avoid running at night, be sure you don’t get too lost, and maybe even bring a
friend. Going to the gym definitely has its advantages, but running outside sometimes can be a
really great change of pace.
Leave a Reply