5 Tips to Make Running More Enjoyable

Whether you’re a seasoned runner with marathons under your belt or a beginner jogger, the “just do it” philosophy isn't always the easiest to follow. How to stay motivated for a run is a common conundrum. Here are 5 tips to make running more enjoyable:

• Add Variety. Shakespeare once wrote, “If music be the food of jogs, play on.” Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the exact quote, but he easily would have penned that line had mp3 devices been around for running in his day. After all, there’s no easier way to add some fun to your run than with a fresh playlist. It’s one of our favorite and easiest ways to add some running variety. Hop on iTunes in the podcast section and you’ll find that there are plenty of running podcasts to download for free. One of our favorites that you can search out is “Indie Soup Runner,” which offers themed playlists made up of songs timed for a warm up, run pace, and cool down.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways to add a little variety to your run and avoid running ruts. Try mapping a new coarse or discover a new trail to run.

• Stay Charged. Now that you have a new playlist for your run, nothing would be a bigger hamper in your running motivation than a low battery. Don’t let battery exhaustion be the death of your run. A portable USB charging battery pack can be a great addition to your running gear and will work with most mp3 and phone devices.

To extend your battery even more, take a look at our Alpatronix’s PX500 Portable External Power Bank or iPhone charging cases.

• Use an App. There are several apps out there for runners that will keep track of your stats and much more. Two apps we love are Endomodo and Nike+ Running. With Endomodo you can keep track of your duration, distance and speed, challenge your times, create routes and challenge friends. You can see other people times and challenge yourself to beat it. You can also have an audio coach, track hydration, or send friends a pep talk to keep them going.

The Nike+ Running app also keeps all the stats but also allows you to be cheered on by a real time crowd or have a power song play when you finish.

These apps can definitely make running fun and interactive.  To make it easy to bring your smart phone along for the run, we have several fitness products like an Urban sportsStap Armband or Bluetooth headphones to make carrying your using an app easy without interfering with your run.

• Invite a friend. Apps are great to connect with your social network, but nothing beats having a friend to run with. Having someone hold you accountable is an easy way to ensure success and make running fun. You can share encouraging words, exchange your own running motivator tips, or even use your friend to help keep pace. Regardless, running doesn’t have to be a solo sport and bringing a friend is the easiest way to make running more fun.

• Fuel up. Don’t let cramps and hunger pains deter you from your run. There are plenty of exercise-specific energy snacks to be found at your local supermarket, but our favorite motivating snack? Chocolate. Sure, it’s not the first thing you think of when you think “health food,” but research studies  have shown chocolate is good for your heart, an endorphin booster and can even help lower your BMI.

The key is to eat chocolate in moderation because too much of a good thing is possible. If you’re struggling with your running motivation, don’t be afraid to eat a little chocolate. It will help give you the extra push you need to get off the couch and happily hit the running trails.

Did we miss one of your essentials to make running more enjoyable? Share your ideas by commenting below.