Running is an excellent way for you to have some time with yourself, and getting out in the fresh air can really help your mental and physical health.
But, what do you do if you’re losing all motivation? Are you fed up with not seeing any results? Feeling like you aren’t running any further than when you started?
If there is something blocking your enjoyment from running, we have some ways which can help you get back on track.
These running challenges are fun to try and will help you aim towards your goals when you’re out running, giving you something to work towards and focus on.
These fun challenges will help you reignite your passion for running and keep you motivated, and will help you develop your progress and see results from your improving running distances.
Below are 10 fun ways to boost your motivation during running that will definitely help you keep your eyes on your future goals. Remember that you shouldn’t push yourself too much, especially if you’ve had some time off running.
Take the challenges at your own pace and work towards achieving them in your own time, enjoying every minute of it!
1. Make A List Of Races You’d Like To Take Part In
This is an easy first step in motivating yourself to get back into running. Maybe you started running because there was a particular event or marathon you wanted to take part in, and by making a list of all of the races you’d like to run, you are aiming towards these personal goals.
You can add dates you’d like to have completed the races by, and this will help you stick to the goals you want to achieve.
2. Marathon In Month
The marathon in a month challenge is perfect for people who would like to train for a marathon, as it helps you get out and run regularly, and you will have run a full marathon by the end of it.
You will need to run a total of 26.2 miles in a month, and you can split the miles up however you want. This is a great opportunity to train yourself to run longer distances, and you can track how much you’re running.
The end result is a massive achievement, and you can begin to train yourself into running the marathon distance in shorter times. By the end of the month, you’ll have run 26.2 miles, and that’s a great motivation to have.
3. Have A Running Streak
A running streak is a really good way to motivate yourself to get out and run, and having a daily running streak for a month will build up your stamina and make you a stronger runner. It’s a really fun way to become really proud of yourself and how well you’re doing running.
You need to be careful with running streaks as running usually requires rest days, so it’s a good idea to vary the lengths of your runs. If you do a long, tiring run one day, switch it up and take an easy, relaxing, shorter route the next day.
These runs can be done anywhere, and that’s what is so great about running. If it’s cold outside, you can do your run on a treadmill. But if it’s sunny and warm, an outside run will help refresh you.
4. Run 5K Every Month
Running 5K every month is the perfect achievement to aim for in the month, and you can take part in local 5K races which will help you feel more motivated and enjoy the atmosphere.
You can even aim to do 10K, half marathons or full marathons once a month instead of the 5Ks, or you can vary it and build up to longer races.
Running in races is great motivation as the atmosphere is extremely supportive and your achievements are celebrated at the end. These races will also help you have something to aim towards during the month.
5. Run In Different States Or Countries
Running in your local area is a fun way of exploring places you never knew existed, but a good way to shake up your running routine is to run in different places. You can start by running in different states, but you can build up to running in different countries too.
By traveling to different places to run, it’ll be really exciting to run new local routes surrounded by different scenery, and meet new people who have the same aims as you.
This will give you something else to aim for, as running in races around the country and around the world will be a massive achievement and something you can continue doing.
6. Run 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, And A Marathon In A Month
Just like running a 5K in a month, this challenge is a little tougher. You can either take part in races to achieve this challenge or split it up into separate runs.
Begin with the marathon and then decrease the distances as you proceed, but don’t run them all in one go as you don’t want to injure yourself. Leave appropriate resting time between the races.
Don’t feel pressured to run the marathon all in one go, and this challenge may be one you need to work towards. It’s a fun way to complete all of the major running distances, and being able to say you ran all of them in a month is a huge achievement.
7. Run Every Day For A Year
This challenge is slightly more ambitious than running every day for a month, but it is definitely a step up and something to work towards. By running every day for a year, you will be sticking to a schedule and you have an aim in sight.
Just remember to vary the lengths and difficulties of your runs, making sure that you take it easy on some days where you would normally rest.
8. Run A Marathon Or Half Marathon In Every State
This is a really fun challenge to aim towards and would be an amazing goal to achieve. This will give you the opportunity to see different parts of the country on foot that you may not have discovered before, and a great feeling of accomplishment for every race you complete.
You will have a schedule to follow and you will be able to track your progress by counting down all the states you’ll have completed these races in.
9. Run A Half Or Full Marathon Every Month
This is another fun way of keeping track of your progress, and you can either run them in races, on your own or split over a period of time.
You will be able to track your progress, and if you’re beginning by splitting the distance over a few weeks, you will be able to improve on your distance and see a lot of progress in yourself.
By aiming towards these goals, you can train yourself to take part in races and achieve your goals of participating in certain races.
10. Run Four Races In One Weekend
The Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World sees you running a total of 48.6 miles over four days, including a full marathon, half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K.
You can try and time this challenge with a marathon you’re hoping to run, and either run the others on your own or see if there are any other races in the area that weekend to take part in.
Some marathons hold smaller races on the weekends surrounding the marathon, so you will be able to have a look around for options.
This challenge is aimed at more advanced runners as it is a long-distance to run in a short period of time, but a great challenge to aim towards for casual runners.
Final Thoughts
These challenges are all fun ways to reignite your passion for running and will allow you to push yourself and track your progress.
Some of these challenges are aimed at more advanced runners, but you can tailor the challenges to suit you and your abilities by splitting the distances over a period of time.
By following these fun challenges, it will give you the opportunity to aim for all of your goals and achieve them with enjoyment.
Hi, my name is Matt Williams and I have been competing in races all over the world for almost a decade. My love for running began when I was a child, always alongside my parents as they trained for their own triathlons.
I now chase the race all over the world, mixing my two passions - sightseeing and racing. I have been through 10 countries and countless cities, and I’m only getting started.
If you want to experience the high of finishing your first race, please enjoy my website full of advice and personal experience. Who knows - maybe I’ll see you on the track one day!
