3 Ways To A More Resolute Running (Part 1)

'Tis the time of the year for resolutions. Why not? I still personally believe in New Year's Resolutions. Life goes in cycles and it does gives us opportunities to renew, reset, and recharge our lives. The start of a new year is one of those times where we could set new resolves for ourselves.

When it comes to your running resolution, here are 3 ways you could approach it to increase the likelihood of a more  enduring and resolute running.

1. Consistency vs. Mileage

Forget about mileage. Don't worry about the total distance covered in a week. Don't set a number of miles as a goal. What you ought to count is the number of times you get out the door to do a running workout. Measure your rate of consistency in running as your bar for success more than you do the amount in miles you ran. With all the available running gadgets and GPS apps, it is so easy to record your running in miles and use the data as your measure of progress. This is not so bad; but as a caveat, setting mileage as a goal to launch your running resolution is not sustainable. Increasing your mileage unnecessarily can lead to injuries. Running is a simple one-motion exercise but a high impact workout. Running too much too soon can overstress your bones and joints. This can make your next running workout painful and may discourage you from running again.

To ensure more success with your running resolution, set a frequency rate. The goal is to develop consistency and establish a solid running routine.  Most successful runners, from average to elite levels, are creatures of habit. Set the number of times over a week to do running workouts then stick with it. Using your old, reliable wall calendar, desk or notebook planner, draw a smiley face on each day you run in a week as planned. Keep it gadget-free and simply tally the number of times you successfully followed through with your commitment to run. As you see progress, feel free to brag about it to your friends and say "Hey, I ran 3x this week!"  Just in case any smarty runner asks you how long do you run in a day, simply tell them, "Long enough to enjoy running."  Just remember that even if you are new to running, it will give you a similar experience as a veteran runner would after a run. To build consistency in running, you need to see its benefits to you versus the standards other people set onto it.

2. Eating Healthy vs. A Weight Loss Diet Plan