During the weekend I took part in the local 7K running race here in Loimaa. It was so much fun to race again after a month of break. Even though the distance was shorter, I still enjoyed every meter of it.

While I run, I many times find myself from planning things like what I'm going to write to my blog next or what I'm going to say in a job interview, and etc. Sometimes I even talk to myself! :D Anyways, I've noticed that running makes my mind work better and makes thoughts a lot more clear. Often I wish that I had a pen and paper in my pocket when I run so that I can write all the thought down as they come in my mind. 

Running has been a part of my routines since January when I started training for the half marathon. During the race on Saturday I was thinking what things got me so excited about running and how I've kept training consistent. The seven kilometres were long enough to gather together ten things that I found helpful and hopefully they could help you as well.

1. Plan 

Life is hectic. Job, school, kids, running errands, laundry, dishes.. oh, the there's so many things that we need to do during the day. The DO- list will run you over if you let it do that. Just take the time for yourself and go for a run. Especially all the moms over there, it's not selfish or bad in any way if you take an hour and go for a run, even if it means postponing that laundryshift. Those Spiderman and Peppa Pig undies will wait.

What has helped me MASSIVELY to find time for training is planning. I don't mean that you should plan a month ahead and mark each training session with a pink highlighter in your calender. For me just planning training times for the coming week or just couple days ahead has worked. If there's no time during the day and evenings are too packed, then wake up an hour earlier and do your run in the morning. Your day will get a completely different (and awesome) start!

2. Set actual goals 

SET. A. GOAL. I cannot emphasise it enough. By actual goal, I mean something that's physical or measurable. Depending on a person, it can be a race or losing weight, growing muscles, etc. In addition to one main goal, have also smaller goals, like running 10k in 55mins or even just completing one interval training. Focus on taking little steps and you will get to your big goal before you even know it. I believe that all of us have a drive to accomplish the goals that we've set for ourselves, so figure out what works for your and go for it!

3. Find your motivation 

Motivation, one day it's your best friend, and one day it's your enemy. It's your best friend when it pushes you to leave out from the door and makes running feel like you're jumping on a flower field while butterflies are flying around. It's your enemy when everything else feels more interesting than training. 

I think motivation develops throughout your training. The more you accomplish the bigger your motivation gets. You notice that your mind and your body can do so much more than you first even could think of. While your motivation increases, your self confidence grows too. Not bad thing at all.  In the beginning vary the way your training and have smaller goals, so that you won't loose your motivation. Soon you notice that you can run longer distances with faster pace or an hour run feels like a warm up. 

"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

4. Start slowly 

Be patient and remember you're just a human :) There are bad days and then there will be good days. If you miss one or two days or even a week, it's not the end of the world. There will always be a new tomorrow. When it comes to your running pace and how many times you train in a week, a mistake that I've done many times is that I've started with too much. I'm so full of excitement that first I run like a little rabbit and then after a couple of weeks I'm whether exhausted or lacking motivation. In order to see progress we have to be consistent and maintain motivation. Start with slow pace, shorter runs and for example train twice in a week. Remember "No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

So have fun with your training and don't exhaust yourself to the point where the only thing you want to do is burn down your sneakers.

5. Vary

If you eat the same food day after day, you get bored. If you watch the same TV- show week after week, you most likely get bored. If you run the same route and same pace time after time, you will get bored. At least I do! Keep things interesting. Change your route and pace. Go for a run to the beach (you lucky Southern friends who might be reading this) or in more Finnish way, go to the forest. Do intervals, jump, run backwards or even crawl if you want to. When people are staring at you then smile and wave. It's your run so can have fun with it!

6. Friends

There's so many advantages to have a friend or group to run with. Let me tell you what happened yesterday morning. So, we had arranged a running date with a couple of friends at 6:00am. I remember setting the alarm at 5:30am but apparently I had hit the snooze.. So at 6:05 I woke up to my WhatsApp sound when one of my friends messaged "Are you coming?" Sh*t, I had slept through the alarm. I literally jumped in my sneakers and ran out of the door to meet up with them. I swear that if my friends had not been waiting outside, I would be still in bed.

When you run with somebody or in a group, you're more likely to push yourself more and get more out of your workout. So find friends who are positive, supportive and fun company, and I promise that the 10k feels like 2k.


7. Competition

Now when you've found friends to train with, still don't make the mistake of comparing yourself with them or make it like Olympic games. It's not about competition, but about finding the joy of training and improving yourself. In a group we often forget to be individuals. Different things work for different people. The only person you should compare yourself with is "old you" and you should compete with yourself.

8. Running Shoes

Yes, yes, materialism this and that, but when it comes to running you wan't to have at least one pair of running shoes that fits you and have enough support for your feet. When you've found a good pair, it feels like the sneakers are taking you forward for you. If you decide to train with those old gym shoes then after a month of running your knees and calfs will scream mercy. Rest of the equipments, like clothes, are your choice but usually the lighter the better.

9. Test your progress

Ready for it... 3.. 2.. 1.. COOPER TEST! Okey, it's not the only way to test your progress and I think many of us, at least in Finland, have postdramaticmiddleschoolgymclasssydrome because of Cooper test. Every year from grades 7-9 we were tested and back then the 12 minutes felt like one year. Anyways, when considering your progress, test yourself every now and then. I don't know what can be more motivating than seeing concrete results of your own improvement.

10. Enjoy! 

Try to enjoy every minute of your run because in any case it's not lasting forever. Dentist appointment won't last forever, boring speaches won't last forever, so neither will your long run. There will be moments when your thighs are hurting like a b**** or you're almost throwing up, but it will only take you forward!