By Uta Pippig, with Scott Douglas and David Wright

Some days, you just can’t wait to work out—you’re full of physical and mental energy, and you almost sprint out the door in anticipation. Many times, though, getting going is tougher—you feel really tired or unmotivated, and running is the last thing you want to do. On those days, it’s important to remember that everyone, even the best athletes in the world, feel that way at times. Long-time runners know that, on such days, if they can find the motivation to get out the door, to take the magic step, the run will take care of itself, and they’ll be glad they made the effort. Here are some ideas for taking the magic step on days when you don’t feel like working out.

Set a Goal

The most successful way to stay motivated is to set realistic goals, and the key is picking goals that are reachable—one small step at a time.  It can be disappointing to set too high a target for yourself and fall short of it. But you can avoid that let-down by going slowly, step by step.  Pick a goal that’s fun and meaningful to you, and that’s also challenging but achievable.

For example, if you’ve been running twice a week, and decide that you are going to run more frequently, start by adding one extra day a week. Later when you feel rested and comfortable with that routine, add a fourth day’s running, and finally a fifth day. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find how smoothly you progress, how much you’re enjoying it, and how easily that elusive early goal can be achieved.

Some people feel it is useful to keep a diary or log of their runs and find it inspirational to look back at how far they have come … step by step. A good goal is one that can be measured, such as running frequency or running a certain time for a distance, rather than simply saying vaguely that you want to run more or run faster. In addition, a good goal has a realistic time element to it, such as completing a 10K two months from today, or running your first 5K in three weeks’ time. Those are the kind of goals that provide you the impetus to keep working toward them. When you don’t feel like working out, think about your goal. Visualizing yourself reaching it can give you lots of energy and joy.

Make an Appointment

In the same way that you schedule other parts of the day, scheduling a time to work out can help you to get going. It can be easier to take the magic step if, for example, you tell yourself you’ll be out of the house and running at 6:30 tomorrow morning rather than telling yourself you’ll run when you feel up to it. If the time comes to run and you truly can’t find the energy to start, then, if your schedule allows it, pick another time later in the day, and stick to it. One sure way to keep your running appointment is to arrange to run with a friend. If you know your friend is counting on you, then there’s no way out of it. You don’t want to disappoint a friend.

Remember the Past, Imagine the Future

In your running career, you’ve no doubt already had days when you didn’t feel like going out—but you did, and felt so much better afterwards. A mature and wise runner I know told me, “I’ve lost count of the mornings when I almost turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. But I didn’t—and I’m a few minutes into the run and I think, ‘I nearly didn’t do this today. I’m so glad I did!’” Those are the days to remember when you’re having trouble getting out the door. Maybe it’s raining or cold outside—remind yourself how happy you were the last time you ignored the weather and made the effort. Knowing how good you’ll feel later on can give you excitement and energy.

Choose Another Running Workout

Sometimes when you are running the same familiar route or trail every day, you can lose the excitement and the magic of the nature that is surrounding you. But changing your routine a little can revitalize your training. If you’re used to running in flat, monotonous country, find a bridge or a nice hilly terrain and add some light up-and-downhill repeats. Or, if you are struggling on the hills around your home, try an interval workout on the local high school track. Or you might be battling snow and ice. Then you could run on the treadmill (“Taming the Treadmill”) at your local health club—while you’re watching the bad weather reports on the TV! A little imagination can work wonders. Even when conditions are good, you can gain extra motivation by treating yourself to a run someplace else, like a nice park or trail you can drive to.

Sometimes, it’s not the thought of working out in general that might keep you from getting out the door, but the specific run you’ve planned for the day. For example, you might have told yourself that today you’ll run for 45 minutes on a hilly course, and when it comes to making a start, that run just seems overwhelming. If that’s the case, then remind yourself that it’s not always necessary to stick to a schedule. One of the ingredients in my success as a runner was giving myself the latitude to change my training if I felt my body needed to.

Do Something Different

There are other sports and activities that can help to make you a better runner. Taking a long bike ride not only increases your endurance but can be an ideal exchange for a long endurance run. Swimming can be occasionally substituted for your “easy” run—and it’s especially beneficial when you’re recovering from an injury or an exhausting run. It will also help you to become accustomed to deeper breathing. Timed water-running in the pool with fast and slow repeats can maintain stamina, similar to the benefit that you get from a speed-and-interval workout on the track.

Stay in Bed Without Guilt

© Betty Shepherd

There are some days when the best way to deal with a lack of motivation is to do nothing, to allow yourself to take the day off and not beat yourself up over the decision! Of course, you don’t want these days to become the norm, but there’s a reason for why you’re not motivated. What’s important is to figure out the reason.

To start, determine what your normal pulse and temperature are upon waking when you’re healthy and energized. Use these measurements as baselines to check against when you’re not feeling motivated. If your pulse and/or temperature are noticeably higher than normal, then you’re probably ill or overly tired from training too hard recently, in which case a day off or a light workout is probably your best choice. If your pulse and/or temperature are normal but you’re still not motivated, that’s often related to other areas of your life.

Have you been working too much lately? Do you feel guilty taking time away from your family to work out? If you’re feeling extraordinarily lazy and decide to allow yourself to take the day off without guilt, use the time you would have spent working out to examine the rest of your life. Look for things in your work, family or personal life that might be draining you, and plan ways to improve those matters so that, in the future, you’ll have more energy to devote to your health and fitness.

I wish you good luck for your fitness and your training!

Posted June 15, 2006
Updated July 3, 2009