Need inspired? When you don’t have a goal, it’s mighty hard to get inspired. Even harder when you aren’t feeding your soul with visual inspiration! So pick a goal, pick a race, PICK A DESTINATION!
Whether you are trying to lose weight, get fit, or even just expose your family to new parts of our Country, traveling is sometimes all you need to get moving in the right direction…literally and figuratively!
And, it all starts in your own backyard!
I’m traditionally the worst offender at this! With three children, a busy lifestyle, and the need to be efficient with my time, I typically run 1/2 mile laps in my neighborhood (because that’s the longest distance in my small, dead-end street) in the wee hours of the morning. This is a terrible practice! It has built-in boredom and no running partners. What’s more my body has the muscle memory to know an average pace for that “easy, safe” half mile loop. Speed workouts are extremely challenging “in the hood,” and for a longer 10 – 20 mile training run, I’m starting to hate running by the time I hit my last half mile.
NOT SMART! When you need inspiration, want to challenge your typical pace, or seek to increase your distance, destination running is the way to go This morning’s run was just the right fix. Just venturing down the road for a quick 6 mile run along the Intracoastal Waterway provided just the inspiration required to pick up the pace. Suddenly 1 mile repeats at a fast pace became effortless. The FUN of the RUN returned.
This is an easy change to incorporate into your fitness routine. Head to the park for your weight workout, find a beautiful stretch of road for your run or your biking, look for a new trail to hike. When you add destination into your workout, suddenly, your motivation increases and in turn so does the intensity of your training. All of this adds up to an overall more effective workout!
Pair daily destinations with one of Shape magazine’s destination races, and you have the formula for fitness success! Head out to a new locale and get moving!