Let’s face it, sometimes running can get boring. Part of running is having the mental strength to make it through the run. Your legs might feel great, but what happens when you just get bored?
Whether you are running outside, inside or on the trails, running can get boring. So how do you entertain yourself when all you want to do is give up?
1) Wave at every single person you see
Don’t worry if they don’t wave back but make it a goal to wave at every single person while you’re out. Don’t be surprised if you wake up with a sore arm the next day.
2) Guess the life story of each person you pass or run near
Make up a story about each person you run by. You could create a series of fictional short stories and by the time you know it, you’re done with your run and closer to becoming a published author.
3) Write something with your running route
Right now, there are hundreds of people who base their running routes on writing a word, quote or even picture. Heck, there are even people who propose that way. It’s the newest trend in running, called “run art”.
4) Play one song on repeat until you’ve learned the entire song and can sing karaoke to it
Bonus points if you enter a karaoke contest later and win. It would probably only take 1-2 runs to learn an entire song.
5) Podcasts and audio books
Instead of music, download a few different podcasts and listen to them. Similar to music or the radio, there is a podcast for almost every single topic you can imagine. There is even standup comedy. During college, I listened to audio books and got a lot of studying done while working out.
6) Change it up
The easiest way to stay entertained and engaged in running is to change your regular route and run. How can you do that?
- Change the direction you run. You don’t have to change your route, instead run your usual route backwards. It can feel like a different run.
- Change where you run. Change the area, time of day, surface or place. If you are used to running on the roads, try the trail.
- Sign up for a race. Racing keeps you more engaged and interested and can beat boredom.
- Find a running buddy. Join a local running group or find someone to run with. Running with a partner or friend will make the miles fly by, and you won’t get bored running with someone else.
7) Focus on you
Sometimes it’s good just to focus on you and your running. Focus on your breathing, running technique, and your gait. By focusing on yourself, you are finding ways to improve as well as staying engaged in the run.
8) When all else fails, write a post about ways to entertain yourself while running
Did I say I did that? I’m just lucky I remembered everything to write down.
