A Running Doc’s Life: How to Stay Motivated this Winter!

This time of year, it is always tough to try and stay motivated to exercise outside. If there was ever a time that I do more of the exercise inside, is now. It is still exercise, but nothing is like doing this outside. After all, it is only cold outside if you are standing still! We are still outside on Sundays for run club…at least most of us. It still is really tough to run when it is below zero. We may have better clothing to wear, but it is just not fun when it is that cold! It also gets a little tougher to get motivated to workout inside then as well. This is when it is great to have a training partner to keep pushing you as well. I do have to say, there has been some great scenery lately with all of the frost. But the one thing with this frost, the temperature is not really an issue!

I took our retriever, Dakota, out walking Saturday morning, and the scenery was incredible. I think we spent just as much time outside taking pictures as we did walking. This definitely helps stay motivated. You somehow have to look at the positives that the Winter can bring in beauty as well!

Make something out of your mornings, whether inside or outside. Mornings set the tone for day. At least for me, I pretty much know when my morning is going to start each day, but I have no idea when it is going to end! So, at least as long as I don’t have an early morning meeting, exercising in the morning is something to look forward to, and a way to prepare for the day. When I am inside riding the bike, it is my time to listen to music. It is just a nice change of pace to be able to relax listening to my favorite music sometimes.

Show up for yourself! Challenge yourself. At the end of the day, nobody is going to motivate you other than you. Continue to make yourself a list of your do’s and don’ts. Set a goal for yourself and keep it simple. If it is too challenging, you won’t make it past the week. When you reach those smaller goals, we respond more to immediate rewards. This brings feelings of accomplishment and success and is huge to sustaining that motivation. Some of those times after run club, we all go out and meet for coffee!

Now, that is motivation! Keep working at it. Sometimes those motivational triggers are not always so obvious.

We have several more months of Winter left. Make the best of it. Some of the snow is a great opportunity to go snow shoeing as well. Whatever it is, enjoy it for the change it brings. It also makes us appreciate the warmth of Spring and Summer even more. So, bundle up, and get outside, and keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: # 1393