Staying Motivated

Nothing frustrates me more when I look out the window at 5 p.m. and it's dark outside.

As the fall approaches our days become shorter and much busier, I've learned that it can be so easy to push off those oh-so-important training runs. It's so easy to say, "Oh, I'll wake up early tomorrow and run" or "I'll just find time tomorrow."

Chances are the next morning the last thing you'll want to do is wake up early enough to run, and you'll never be able to find time in your hectic schedule.

Here's my theory on running: you have to want to do it. You have to be motivated enough to make the time. Still, that can become a huge challenge.

Here are some things I do to keep motivated.

• Make easy, attainable goals for youself. I hate looking at my calendar to see that I've skipped one or two runs I scheduled for myself. This happened to me last week - no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't keep to my schedule. So this week, my goal is to get all my miles in on time and on schedule.
• Keep the big picture in mind. Whether you're training for a 5k or a  marathon, think about what race day is going to be like. Visualize. Think about how you want to feel when you cross the finish line. Chances are you will be a lot more confident on race day knowing you have put in hard work. Someone once told me that when training for a race, you get what you put in. It's so true. If you slack on your training, you can expect a horrible race.
• Surround yourself with people who will keep you accountable. Whether it's a parent, significant other, or a trainer, make sure there is someone in your life who will ask you, "Did you run today? How did it go? Have you been eating right?" It makes a huge difference.
• Stop thinking about running so much! I know a lot of running addicts who constantly read about it and write about it - they live and breathe running to the point where it stresses you out and the last thing you want to do is run. It's OK to take a break once in a while and maybe replace a run with a biking session. Running is supposed to clear your head - not clog it!

What do you do to stay motivated?