Best Running Motivation Tricks You Need To Know

Hey, my good running friend welcome back to The Running Week! 🏃🏾‍♀️

In today’s edition:

1. Best Running Motivation Tricks You Need To Know

2. The Benefits Of Massage For Runners

3. The Best Songs for Slow Runs

4. Sub 1h20 Update

Let’s get into this BUT before I have an important announcement for you!

Best Running Motivation Tricks You Need To Know

I decide to dedicated the main section of this edition to these “Motivation Tricks” because the past week I have felt quite demotivated for no apparent reason.

So I researched some tips to stay motivated even on the toughest days and these are the best tips I've found.

They helped me and I'm sure they will help many of you too!

Think of Running as "Me Time"

Even if you run with a buddy, running is an excuse to devote time to yourself and your needs, not anyone else's. It's a short escape from your responsibilities. But don't feel guilty.

Giving yourself a mental and physical break benefits both you and those you're responsible to, like coworkers and family members.

Save a New Album or Pod For Your Run

If you’ve got a new piece of media that you’re really amped to listen to, save it for your run. This means you’re not just running anymore, you’re running and listening to the new your favorite singer album or pod.

Don’t Look at Your Watch

When you begin your run, there’s a magnetic pull to check your watch. It’s like your Garmin is calling your name, saying, “look at me, I dare you.” Resist that temptation for as long as possible, because it almost always says it’s only been four minutes, even though it has felt like 15!

Find a Training Partners

The more the merrier when it comes to group motivation. Find one or several training partners with whom you can set up a running schedule. Even if you don’t run together each day, you can band together a few times a week for accountability.

Feel The Sunshine On Your Face

Running is a fantastic way to get the sunlight needed to boost serotonin levels. This helps to put you in a good mood while reducing depression and anxiety.

Get Clear About Your “Why”

The most important thing you can do to ramp up your motivation is to get clear on your “why”. Why do you want to run? Why is it important to you?

If you don’t know, it will be easy to quit when times get tough. If you know why you’re running and you stay focused on that, it will be much easier to keep going when you inevitably run into roadblocks.

Try a Running Streak

Run streaking can be a great way to build running into your schedule. It can also be a great way to motivate you to get out and run. The one thing you need to be careful about when run streaking is that you don’t overdo it.

Running every day with no rest days can be risky so you need to be careful not to over-tax your body.

Reward Yourself

At the end of the day, the fact that you are running is an amazing accomplishment and deserves to be celebrated!

Rewarding yourself for sticking to your running plan is a great way to get some extra running motivation. It’s also a great way to remind yourself that running can be fun!

Treat yourself to something special when you reach your goals and celebrate your accomplishments! You deserve it!

Focus on your Breathing

From your total body scan you should check how your breathing and heart rate feel. Are you pushing it too hard, so your heart rate is high and you're getting out of breath? If so, the best thing to do is to pull the pace back a bit, especially if you've just run up a big hill.

Take long deep breaths to get oxygen deep into your lungs. Breathing from your diaphragm, long and deep really works wonders both with relaxing your body and mind and taking your mind off your fatigue.

Trivia Question: Running on which surface carries a higher risk of causing an ankle sprain?

Find the answer at the end of this email.

The Benefits Of Massage For Runners

Let’s explore the incredible benefits that massage holds for us!

Helps Heal Micro-tears

Picture this: after an intense run, your muscles are buzzing with energy, but they’ve also endured their fair share of wear and tear. It’s like a battlefield within your body, with tiny warriors known as “micro-tears” emerging victorious.

Now, don’t worry, these micro-tears are not as terrifying as they sound. In fact, they play a crucial role in building stronger, more resilient muscles. However, they do come with a sidekick called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

But fear not, for there is a secret weapon that can help you conquer DOMS and unleash your inner healing power. Enter the magical world of massage!

Massage is like a superhero swooping in to save the day, aiding in the repair of those micro-tears and reducing the severity of DOMS. But here’s the catch: not all massages are created equal.

Choosing the right massage technique is crucial for reaping the full benefits.

Studies have shown that a well-timed massage can work wonders in healing those micro-tears and preventing DOMS from taking over your life. It’s all about finding the sweet spot, where the healing power of touch combines with the perfect massage technique to create a harmonious symphony of muscle recovery.

Flush Out Lactic Acid

Lactic acid, the villain of the running world, has a way of accumulating in our hard-working muscles, leaving us feeling tight, congested, and fatigued.

It’s like a traffic jam of waste products, impeding the flow of vitality within our bodies.

But fear not, for there is a hero waiting in the wings, ready to come to your rescue. And that hero is none other than the healing touch of massage!

Improved Circulation

Studies have shown that massage has the power to improve blood flow, acting as a catalyst for your circulatory system. This enhanced circulation ignites a spark within your body, accelerating the delivery of vital nutrients, optimizing oxygen transfer, and removing waste products at the cellular level.

It’s like a well-oiled machine humming with efficiency, ensuring that every muscle fiber is nourished, revitalized, and ready to rise to the next challenge. Your body becomes a sanctuary of rejuvenation, a temple of recovery.

Relieving Tension

Tightness and tension are the invisible chains that bind our muscles, restricting our movement and holding us back.

They are the adversaries we face as runners, seeking liberation from their grip. But fear not, for the power to break free lies within the art of sports massage.

Studies have shown that sports massage has a remarkable ability to reduce stiffness, pain, and inflammation. It’s like a soothing balm, easing the fire of muscular tension and soreness.

With every stroke, it breaks down scar tissue and adhesions, allowing our muscles to find freedom and range of motion once again.

Increasing Flexibility

A sports massage goes beyond the surface, delving deep into the intricate layers of our muscles. It stretches and lengthens them in a way that mere post-run stretches could never achieve.

It’s a transformative journey, an invitation for our muscles to reach their full potential.

Flexibility is the key to unlocking our true athletic prowess. With each massage, our range of motion expands, and the mobility of our joints becomes a gateway to new possibilities.

We dance through the trails, liberated from the fear of injury, knowing that our supple bodies are primed for the challenges ahead.

Reduced Stress

The release of tension in our bodies ripples into the depths of our souls, reducing the weight of stress that we carry. It’s a sanctuary of relaxation, a haven of tranquility.

With stress diminished, our minds find clarity, our spirits soar, and anxiety dissipates. We stand ready, mentally and physically, to conquer the race of life!

And what do you think of messages? Do you usually get massages? Feel free to reply to this email with your thoughts!

The Best Songs To Add In Your Playlist to Help You Keep a Steady Pace

As i said in the first section of this issue, one motivation tricks to stay motivated is “Save A New Album” – If you don’t know what album listen for your next runs, don’t worry, i can help you!

I just created a list of 20 perfect songs to add in your playlist to listen during your slow runs and you can cruise along. Enjoy life outside of the fast lane —your legs will thank you for giving them a rest and your ears for these dulcet tones!

Here’s The Song List:

1. Boyhood – The Japanese House

2. Adore You – Jessie Ware

3. Ooh Wee – Your Smith

4. Big Wheel [Explicit] – Samia

5. Marie (Original Version) – Blue Gas

6. Slow Song (with Dragonette) – The Knocks

7. Rockstar – Mallrat

8. Better – Khalid

9. New – Daya

10. Not the One – Gibbz

11. You Make It Ease – Red Hearse

12. Bright Star – Anaïs Mitchell

13. Sometimes (From "Fire Island") – MUNA

14. AIR I BREATHE – Sophie Blair

15. Wait – Maroon 5

16. Hide Away – Daya

17. Dangerous – Glades

18. The Other – Lauv

19. Home – 90 Miles

20. Vibe. – Jojo

These songs are available on all platforms (Spotify, Amazon music etc etc) you can search them and create your own playlist.

Let me know if you already had a playlist for your slow runs and what song you would add to this playlist!

If you guys are interested in this type on playlists i can create some of them on Spotify (one for slow runs, one for intervals sessions etc etc) and share them with you! So we can train by listen same songs all together 🤣

Road to Sub 1h20 update

Last week's training block was ~62km:

1. Monday: 50min Easy + Gym

2. Tuesday: Gym

3. Wednesday: Intervals 400m/300m/200m/100m rec. 1min

4. Thursday: 20km Spinning lesson

5. Friday: 50min Easy + Gym

6. Saturday: 10km @ 4:30min pace

7. Sunday: 16km Long Run

Past week I ran fewer kilometers, it is continuing my “taper phase” before the next training block where I will reach 100km weekly for the first time. I even tested soar products to check for chafing issues - I had no chafing and they are definitely the lightest, most breathable running clothes I have in my closet! They are a must-have for the summer season. More contents with soar products soon.

I will also run about 60km next week and then return to increasing weekly mileage from the week of August 21th.

Then, I just signed up for a 10.5km race on October 1st – It will be a great way to test my fitness before October 21th! (sub 1:20h attempt).

Let’s see what happens and keep running!

Just for Laughs 😂

Trivia Answer: Sand - Here’s an interesting article on “How Different Surfaces Affect Your Running”

Latest Editions

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• The Best 5K Tips To Run Faster And Get The PB (Link)

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From your running friend that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed it!

Until next week, happy Running!

I’m incredibly grateful for this little newsletter and community of The Running Week. Thank you.

Thanks SOAR Running for the support.

PS. Let's connect on Strava, here’s my profile

Matteo, your new running friend.