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Getting In Your Mid-Week Runs 

By now the newness of the training schedule is probably starting to wear a little bit thin. Your first few weeks you're all gung ho. You can't WAIT to get out there! You brag to everyone that you're training for a race. 

Then people start giving you that "look" when you talk about it...so you stop. The routes that were fun at first are getting old, and you find yourself letting other things get in the way of your mid-week runs. 

This is totally normal, especially as it gets colder. But it is SO necessary to get yourself out of this mid- week slump! Your training is extremely important...not just the long runs. If you want to have a good experience, beginning to end, on the marathon you need to follow the training schedule as closely as you can. 

Here are some ideas for getting in your mid-week runs: 

Schedule a Meetup! 
We have a group at Meetup.com where you can sign up, even if you’re not a part of the group, and suggest things like “Let’s run for coffee Wednesday evening!” Others will see that and RSVP yes or no.

Use your feet for transportation. 
Many Sundays Roy and I run 2.5 miles to Starbucks, sit and eat breakfast and sip coffee, read the paper, then run back. It gets a nice five mile run in, and it's a pleasant time. If you don't have the freedom to leave kids, have your spouse meet you at a local restaurant or even the grocery store and run to them, or after the meal/trip, run home. 

Become an early bird (no worms required). 
I know no one thinks they are a "morning person" but this time of year especially; an early morning run is so invigorating. Plus you get bragging points. Imagine going into the office, wide awake, bright eyed and saying "Yeah, I ran four miles this morning. I'm feeling great!" to all your bleary eyed co-workers! Plus there's this mental "thing". I get up to work out every morning M-F. That way I can say to myself, "I get up to go work out...to do something for me. I do NOT get up to go to work." It's just a whole attitude shift.

Schedule an appointment with yourself. 
Write it into your calendar. When you write it down, you're less likely to skip it. 

Involve the family. 
Have them bike with you while you run. Take them to a local high school track and let them ride their bikes around the track while you run, or play in the field in the middle where you can keep an eye on them. 

Involve the four-footed family members too. 
How can you NOT take your (young) dog out for a run? It's good for them AND for you, and if Fido has always been "someone else's dog" the relationship you forge running together will definitely help when you say "Fido, give kisses! Give kisses!" at 6 a.m. when you're trying to get a lazybones family member out of bed! (Not that I would ever do anything like that. No! Never!) 

Log your miles. 
Use a calendar, or a website such as www.dailymile.com. It's so gratifying to see those numbers go up up UP! 

Make your mid-week runs a priority so that your weekend runs are relatively "easy". No more excuses!