Motivational tips to avoid hitting the wall while running.
We all have those days where we literally can not get ourselves out of the door to exercise. Minimal sleep, a long day of work, and just a general feeling of blah plague us. Getting onto the netball london court seems easy as the drive to win and the fun of the game naturally motivates you, however a boring run on your own often slips to the bottom of your to do list.
1. Get a new pair of running trainers. Nothing beats the feeling of picking out a new, fresh pair of your favorite trainers and breaking them in on the roads.
2. Change your environment! Drive to a new place to start your run or just don’t plan a route and run wherever your legs take you. Another option is a ‘destination run’. This could be running to a friends house or to do an errand, etc.
3. Sign up for a race. This may be something short term and local in the UK, such as a 5k or 10k. However, if you’re feeling ambitious, look into a longer-term goal such as the London Marathon, a Tough Mudder event or a Triathlon.
4. Run for a cause. This could be for a charity or something that has a personal meaning to you!
5. Make a playlist that suits you and your run. Here are some top rated songs to keep you upbeat during your run: http://jog.fm/popular-workout-songs
6. Reward yourself. Have an ice cold drink ready for you when you get home or make plans to meet friends for a night out.
7. Mix up your workout. This could be running at difference speeds, to different places, or on different surfaces:
Try doing 30 second sprints, then jog the next minute at regular pace while on a run. This can help to keep you awake and motivated during a run while directly helping your netball game. Because netball is such a fast paced sport, it is important to have quick acceleration. Practicing 30-second bursts of speed will help you with the explosivity needed on the netball court during centre passes and dodging, offensively and defensively. Throughout a 40-minute game, you may be running start and stop for around 5 km. It doesn’t matter if you are the fasted up and down the court once, if you can’t keep this up for the whole 40-minute game! Endurance is necessary to have enough energy for the whole time period. Running for a longer duration of time will improve your endurance and along with your sprint training you will be able to play netball for longer and then hopefully at a higher level.
8. Read books that are sure to get you off of the sofa, such as Why I Run or Born to Run.
9. Get a friend to join! (Is there anything more rewarding than being that little bit faster/fitter than your friend? :-))
10. Think of that bikini body. No matter what time of the year it is, nothing beats a bikini body.
Whatever helps to get you out of bed and out on the roads is the best option for you… Think of how the additional sprint and endurance training will help your stamina at your next netball match!
Let us know what works best for you…