I started running on last year September 15. The plan was to run 5 km daily for 100 consecutive days and I failed successfully!. But you know failures gives us good experiences. Here is some of my thoughts on it
- Count down started on Sep 15th: I planned it and scheduled it in my calendar. Each day when I look at my calendar, I get this feeling that I am one day closer to my goal. Though I scheduled it in the mornings, eventually it went to the bottom of the priority list and became the last event of the day - usually at night.
- Why publish: Let everyone know of the challenge. We will be compelled to reach the goal. So let our friends and family know of this. Share it on facebook, twitter or instagram.
- About the gadgets: No mobile fewer distractions. Keep a basic mobile if it is absolutely necessary because it is difficult to run with a mobile. Wear a fitness tracker like Fitbit or Garmin that has inbuilt GPS. They can record the location, calories and the number of steps.
- Why different places: Running in the same place every day can deplete our enthusiasm. I used to drive to different places. Decide on a place before starting. Don't just take any random place. Select somewhere close to nature and calm. This one I am sceptical about. From my experiences what I learned is that we get bored easily if we run alone. It is more interesting if we have company. It doesn't have to be someone who runs along with us. A little girl sitting in the park playing with her dog can also motivate. Avoid highways - highways are flat and straight but it is very dangerous.
- No bag or other items in hand: If the primary goal is to run then avoid bags. Keep them in your vehicle or cycle. From my experience what I learned is bags will reduce the fun.
- The need for suitable costumes: There can be issues with thighs if you are a heavy person. The weight of shoes and the dress material can affect the performance. So get some sports wears which are made specifically for running. If you are too fatty avoid tight dresses.
- Time doesn’t matter: It won't last long if we try to adhere strictly to the scheduled time. Be flexible. Change it according to the priority and availability of time. Deviating from your scheduled time is ok once in a while.
- No off on weekends.: It is an excuse. There is no holiday for the heart or brain so is for the workout. Run an extra mile on weekends if possible.
- Motivational music: From my personal experience what I learned is audiobooks are not a good listen while running. I am a kind of person who cannot focus on running and imagining at the same time. With books, you need to imagine. I tried and failed. So now I just listen to music. I prefer motivational music like Rocky or Rambo or audio extracted from motivational scenes from movies.
Many a time I lost interest in running and stopped it. Towards the end, I didn't run continuously for 20 plus days and still, I am not running. December 23 was the 100th day. This year I hope I can run more.