Make running less boring

I like to run—it’s a versatile, time-effective way to get some cardio in, and it makes me feel good—but with my attention span, I tend to get bored after about 15 minutes. Music helps, but only to a certain point. After that, it’s all about self-motivation. I want to be a good runner—I read Runner’s World and everything!—so I’m looking for strategies to keep me on track.

One of my tricks is to run in the morning, before work, outdoors. Once I get far enough away from the house, I have to keep running so I can get home in time to get ready for work without running late.

Another method I’m trying is training—one of my friends and I are going to sign up for a couple of races this summer and fall, probably a 5K and then a 10K. I’ve never done a race before, so I’m curious to see how the first one will affect my motivation (especially as I can be a bit competitive). What’s going to make training more fun is we’re attending a weekly workshop together at the Nike Runner’s Lounge in Toronto (tomorrow’s my first day—I’ll let you know how it goes).

For the days when I’m training on my own, I’m going to try this workout from fitness blog FitSugar: a speed drill where you count the number of steps you make in 30 seconds, then try to beat that number. Sounds like a fun challenge, although I think the true challenge will be keeping track of the 30 seconds without tripping while I check my watch.

Do you like to run? How do you keep motivated?