DR. CAT FITZGERALD, PT, DPT & CSCS.
Your alarm goes off, you open your eyes, and for a moment you’re convinced it must still be the middle of the night. It’s so dark and the window is a bit drafty…. This must be a mistake! But no, this was completely intentional. You set your alarm last night with the intention of waking up and getting your run done first thing in the morning. The only problem: it’s February in NYC.
Sound familiar?
Sometimes we need that little extra push to get out the door. I turned to Instagram and asked the running community for their tips that get them motivated to run. Here are some tips to tricking yourself out the door:
Lay your clothes out the night before! Even better; put them on the radiator! This is a pro move by Coach Jen Harper.
Turn on a catchy song! Jarwei Fang also recommends laying out your clothes the night before but finds that a good beat is the best motivator. E. Rose recommends jamming to the soundtrack to Hadestown!
Do your warm-up inside! I like to use the lobby of my building for a dynamic warm-up. A friend of mine prefers to do her core routine first before heading out on a cold morning.
Meet up with a friend or running team (perhaps Streets 101)! It’s much easier to get out the door when you know you have someone counting on you… or someone to commiserate with.
Invest in good winter accessories. Socks, gloves, a hat, and a buff go a long way towards taking the chill out those early morning runs. Personally, I love Smartwool running socks and Oiselle’s mittens and gloves (I know Amber Rees agrees)!
If you’ll be out before sunrise, some sort of reflective clothing and a headlamp is important for safety. Thanks to Lisa for the reminder! Reflective gear will help cars, bikers, or anyone else on the road see you. A headlamp will help you see where you’re going so you can avoid any potholes or other injury-causing surprises.
Lastly, Ezzie Melinda recommends rewarding yourself with something warm and cozy afterward. Hot chocolate anyone?