Staying Motivated

I’m not going to lie, sometimes I can’t think of anything worse than going running, with or
without the buggy. I can’t be bothered. I’d rather sit in the house snuggled under a blanket,
drinking hot tea and watching Grey’s Anatomy. Ok, this would never actually happen if I
didn’t go running due to the two little people requiring seemingly constant attention, but
you get my drift. How do I drag myself out of the front door? Glad you asked. Here are my
top 5 tips for staying motivated....

1. Dangle that carrot
Promise yourself a treat for going out running. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just a little reward for getting out and getting it done. My favourite things include a glass of wine with the kids’ tea, something from the M&S deli for my tea, a few squares of dark choc and the ultimate – a hot bath once the kids are in bed (choc/vino optional but recommended!).
Leave the clearing up/laundry etc and allow yourself the luxury of a 20 minute soak, you’ve earned it. Obviously, you don’t have to go running to be able to enjoy any of these things but if you have, it feels super virtuous!

2. Shout it from the rooftops
Tell a mate, tell a colleague, tell social media…. It doesn’t matter who it is but just tell someone. It’s amazing how this works, but the guilt of not going running once I’ve said out loud that I am heading out is enough to get me out of the front door! Maybe I should try this out with the housework….

3. Sign up to a race
When I first got my Mountain Buggy Terrain back at the end of April, I set myself a goal of being able to complete a 5k Parkrun course. One month later, after some serious sweat and slog, Austin and I did our first Parkrun at Ellenbrook Fields. The satisfaction from this was enough to keep me motivated for a while, but soon my enthusiasm started to wane. I’d ticked that box so what next? Instagram intervened as it so often does (I’ve put some serious browsing hours in), and up popped an ad for the Shoreditch 10k, part of the Adidas City Runs series. I ignored it a few times until the spark finally lit (or maybe it was the gin fizz) and I entered! I’ll admit it, I’ve been totally sucked into the cool marketing of this event but if it got me excited to run again, who cares?!

4. Variety is the spice of life!
Two suggestions for mixing things up here: firstly, try a new route. I love exploring new
running routes. It somehow doesn’t feel so hard when you’re having to concentrate on
where you’re going or you have no idea of the terrain. I’m yet to find anything the Mountain Buggy Terrain can’t handle – it’s more about what I can cope with! New places mean new things to look at, which helps to keep Austin entertained too. I hate running multiple laps – I once messed up my timings which meant that I couldn’t run around the grounds of a stately home and ended up doing 5k worth of laps around some greenery and fountains at the back of John Lewis. Fairly soul destroying!
Secondly, add some other exercises into your run. I sometimes combine this with a stop at
the park. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, some squat jumps in between pushing the swing, lunges at the bottom of the slide, tricep dips on a bench. Everyone wins!

5. Meet a mate
If you’re lucky to have fellow (buggy) runners living nearby then go out together. You’re
much more likely to go out if you’re meeting someone, you wouldn’t want to let them
down! Alternatively, arrange to meet a friend for coffee at the end of your buggy run. Better still, combine this with point no 2 and there’s absolutely no backing out ;-)

So, there you have it, my top 5 tips for staying motivated. Off you go!

Love Mel x

Mum of 2 small boys from Hertfordshire, UK and Mountain Buggy Terrain UK Ambassador