A lot of people on the Lululemon Facebook page are asking advice on ways to stay motivated to run and a lot of people in my life are wondering how I’m keeping motivated considering I have a newborn and a two year old and I’m a stay at home mum. So I thought I’d share what my motivations are and the mind games I play with myself to get out the door at least 4 days a week.

1. When your a stay at home mom it’s really easy to feel down when your having tough days of tantrums and colic, so getting out that door for a run is good for my mood, my self esteem and my patients and in turn it’s good for my kids. So I get out the door so that my kids can have a good mommy instead of a frazzled one.

2. Baby Weight. I want it off for summer. I want to look good in my Lulu’s.

3. Babysitting. If I rely on someone to come by for an hour so that I can get my running in I can’t let them down by asking them to not come over after all because I really don’t feel like running. If my mom in law or mom have agreed to come by tomorrow at noon than I will not flake out on them.

4. Follow a program. Even in the beginning when you can run farther than the program dictates stick with the program. It prevents injury, adapts you to run farther later on than if you would have just jumped in at 10 minute runs and it keeps you focused and motivated to have an end goal. I use the John Stanton Running Room program because I did the Learn to Run program there last year until I found myself pregnant at week 5.

5. Even when you don’t feel like going out, make yourself do at least 5-10 minutes, if you still don’t feel up to it you can stop but usually you will keep going cause your already out there.

6. Make yourself take days off. Rest days help your muscles recover and adapt so the next run you can go farther or longer. If you don’t take days off when you need them you will feel unmotivated and worn down and your runs will suffer.

7. Change your route and running surfaces. I run trails, track, sidewalk, road and treadmill. I make it a point to explore my neighborhood and take routes that I haven’t before. Change the direction that you run a rout. Run up that hill instead of down that hill.  Run big loops around the hood or shorter loops that you can double.

8.. Mind games for when your bored (and not using an iPod) follow your breathing and focus on your exhales. empty your lungs well and your inhales will happen naturally. follow your thoughts just like you would in Yoga. Don’t censor yourself, if your thinking “i’m bored” think about what you would rather be doing. Focus on how your body is feeling, are your legs or lungs really that tired or is it your mind telling you that your bored.

9. Music. I run outside without music, always. I need to be aware of whats around me for safety but also so that I can be used to dealing with boredom. I don’t want to miss a run just because my iPod is out of batteries or I’m bored with the music on my playlist so I’ve conditioned myself to run without my iPod. If  I really want to listen to music and I need it for a faster tempo than I run on the treadmill and let myself tune out completely.

10. Reward yourself with cute Lulu clothes when you’ve met a goal of dropping a size or running a certain distance. buy lulu socks or a headband for the smaller goals.