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Six fixes for when the will to run wanes… or completely disappears

We all have those moments when the desire to run completely disappears

woman running

We all have that friend who seems on top of his/her game all the time. This person gets up early in the morning before everyone else does, actually makes time for strength training throughout the week and never, ever lets the mileage dip. Now, hands up if that’s just not you these days… For most of us, motivation isn’t linear throughout the year. And if there’s a point where the inspiration for running is lacking, it’s during this time of year. Below, our advice to help you fall in love with running again. We arranged our tips in three categories depending on the severity of your rut.

RELATED: Five ways to get over low motivation during the year’s darkest nights

My motivation has just recently started to taper.

The fix: Pick and landmark in your town or city and plan a new route around it. Today. Sometimes all you need to shake things up is something to look forward to mid-route. Plus, there’s nothing that will kill your run buzz like a stale route. 

The fix: Overhaul the schedule. During this time, it’s quite possible that less is more. If burn-out is the cause of the fall rut, redesign the workout schedule so that it’s less of a burden.

I procrastinate quite a bit before getting out for a run. 

The fix: Set a timer. If you need to do nothing for 45 minutes after work, then allow yourself that. Set your alarm though and after that, be prepared to get outside. 

The fix: Schedule something fun for afterwards so it doesn’t have to take up the whole evening. You’re less likely to put something off for two hours if that’s going to conflict with say, the dinner plans you have with your best friend.  

RELATED: VIDEO: We dare you not to want to run after watching this video

My legs don’t even know what running is anymore. 

The fix: Time for a tough love approach. If you’ve been letting things slide for weeks or even months, commit to it and start catching yourself when you begin to make excuses. 

The fix: Start small. What’s 20 minutes of your day? Convincing yourself to go for a mini run is a lot easier than committing to a 12-week plan. The purpose of this run isn’t to set any PBs – don’t take it too seriously. 

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