Mum Hacks For Life

 A Resolution to Move

I have been running for a while, and as many others my running habit was not easy to developed, becoming a mother was just another excuse to push running to the side, but now that I have been back on the game for some time, and I am training for my first half marathon, I’d like to share with you 8 tips that helped me get were I am. Hopefully you find some encouraging words to finally, as Nike says it, just do it!

HOW I DEVELOPED A HABIT FOR RUNNING

If you’ve been thinking about running and you own a pair of sneakers you pretty much have everything you need to start. The hardest part is the motivation to do it, so right now make the decision to go for a short run/walk because pep talk time is over, it is time to start moving!

1. Download a running app. I have been using Nike Running App since I started, and I am pretty happy with it. It is a FREE app and you do not need a special sensor anymore (it used to be the case back in the day, but now the app works with your phone’s GPS). Don’t worry about how far (time and distance) is your first run. Really the first 3 or 4 weeks for me were more about how many days I actually run. After I figured out some sort of routine, for example I knew I wanted and I could fit 3 runs a week, I started to set up some personal goals, I also had some data from the app to look back and make decisions about what I wanted to improve. My first number was speed. I wanted to drop my pace and every time I ran I pushed myself to go just a little faster.
2. Drink water. Right now the one thing you can do to prepare yourself is to drink water. Your body will appreciate it regardless if you run or not. In my case drinking two glasses of water a day made a big difference, I could tell my body was lighter and I could push to go faster.
3. Find a couch to 5K program. I followed it, since it was another way to keep improving my runs, but I didn’t actually register for a race, just following the program was motivation enough for me. But once I did 5K on my own I knew I wanted to see how I would do in a race setting. Race rush is a thing, and it is a great feeling, all the activity gets you pumped up. I broke my own personal record on my first race, I wanted to do another 5K race, more motivation to keep running.
4. Find a Moms Run This Town group in your area. I joined the group after several years of being running, and it was another changing moment for me. This group has been very motivating, there are moms of all levels in the group, and you get to experience encouragement from other mothers. This actually should be number one tip!!
5. Run. Have you heard the saying “motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily.” This can not be more true when it comes to running, most days I do not want to go out for a run, I don’t crave it. But I tell myself I can do it, my body can do it and I just go. Once I start I can’t stop, actually I don’t want to stop, that’s just how it works, I don’t know I want it until I am doing it, to this day I do not regret a single run, I do regret the days I don’t run.
6. Buy running clothes. As a woman, the most important item for running is the bra, I have been able to get away with cheap running bras because I do not need much support (read as my boobs are small *sigh*), but when I was breastfeeding I needed the support, and having the right sports bra helped me to keep comfortable. My go to store for running clothes is Amazon, they have lots of great items and even the cheaper stuff has worked great for me. I also do not load my closet with running clothes, I have two leggings and two long sleeves shirts, I’ve been able to keep up with laundry this way because I know I will need clean running clothes the next day 😉
7. Change the diet. I figured out that my runs were not giving me the results I wanted, I was still not a size smaller after all the effort I put into it. So I looked on changing my diet, this is not easy but little things here and there helped me in the right direction. I started by making sure I was at least eating one apple or drinking a V8 a day. I am constantly evaluating my diet, but before I was focus on how to get slim, now I make diet decisions based on how this will help me preform on my runs, it is a liberating concept, and I feel more in sync with my body, because I listen to what it needs, not what it craves, and in return my runs are better.
8. Keep improving every week. I fell on the trap of comfort once I reached certain level, I noticed my motivation to run was lacking and I wasn’t putting enough effort anymore. I changed my perspective and decided that every week I need to improve, it can be my distance, my speed, number of days I run, my posture, anything as long as I set a new target to keep me moving and motivated.

There you have it my 8 tips to finally make running a habit. The benefits of running are countless, but if you need one more reason let me tell you that every time my child sees me with my running clothes he asks how far I am going to run, he tells me he is faster than me, and he asks to go running with me, sometimes we do. I am a positive example for him, and that makes me feel that at least I am doing one thing right.