With Christmas and New Year’s coming up, it can be a very difficult time to stay active and keep running.
Between time with family, maybe some traveling, and work or family parties, it can be hard to stick to your routine. And that says nothing about the food and/or drinks that you might have as part of these celebrations.
Long story short, if you are looking for a reason not to run during this time of year, there are so many to choose from.
But if you are looking to stay active and maintain your fitness levels so that you are ready to attack your goals in the New Year, here are some ways that you can do it.
Make It More Fun
If you are looking for extra motivation, try doing a challenge.
Dad Bod Jog Club, who I have mentioned a few times before is a virtual running club. On Monday, December 13th, the club’s annual 12 Days of Running begins. This is my favorite event or challenge that the club puts on.
The concept is simple. Starting on the 13th, you run one mile. Then, on the 14th, you run two miles. Three miles on the 14th and so on until on the 24th (Christmas Eve), you run 12 miles. So, it’s 12 straight days of running for a total of 78 miles over that time. The daily totals don’t have to be done all at once, but they have to be completed on that day. For example, the 8 mile day can be broken into two different four mile runs.
Yes, it’s challenging, but it’s also a fun way to stay motivated. And the other club members will encourage you every step of the way! Give it a shot and see how far you can make it!
If you are interested, follow the club on Instagram (@dadbodjogclub) and you can find out more about this challenge and any others that the club does throughout the year.
Stick to a Plan!
If running every day isn’t your thing, then make a plan to run a certain number of days or miles a week. This can help you maintain your fitness levels through this busy time. Or it can even kick start your training, so you hit the ground running (literally!) in 2022.
It might be a good idea to write down your plan or the number of days or miles that you plan to run. Once you have your plan written down, put it somewhere that you will see it frequently. This will help remind you to try to make time for your run on your planned running days.
Bring Others Along with You
If you are visiting or hosting family or friends for a few days, try to get 1 or 2 of them out for a run. It doesn’t have to be fast or far, but everyone might enjoy something a little different. Take your time and enjoy it!
It can be fun to run in a new area or with people from your family that you don’t normally run with. But if you can’t get anyone else to run with you, don’t let that stop you from getting your run in.
Consistency
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that being consistent is always on my list of things to do to be successful at anything – especially when it comes to running. Getting into a routine will help your body and mind adapt to your plan.
So, over the next few weeks, focus on being consistent with your running, but most importantly – have fun!
What are your plans for Christmas and the holiday time coming up over the next few weeks?
More From RunPatRun:
- Next Week: I know I said this last week, but next week I will definitely have my race report for the Philadelphia Marathon from a couple of weeks ago, which will be Part 6 of my Racing Series!
- If you are looking for Christmas gifts for a runner you know, check out my posts on running movies and books – Movies and Books That Inspire, Books To Get You Running and Running Documentaries to Watch.
- As 2022 quickly approaches, now is a great time to start thinking about your running goals for the New Year! Setting Yourself Up For Success was a post I wrote earlier this year about setting goals.
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