Staying on track

People always say things to me like, "oh, you're so good. You always make sure to get your runs in." Well, I don't know if it has anything to do with being good.

For me, it's about staying accountable. I'm taking responsibility for my fitness. I'm committed to staying fit. I've got goals, dammit! And how can I meet my goals if I don't do the work? That race isn't going to run itself! What if I just showed up to a race without training? How far would that get me? To the medical tent?

Oh, wait, I did end up there last year after I ran Chicago. Briefly. My calves cramped up and I couldn't stand up after I crossed the finish line. Oops!

All joking aside, the funny thing about running and fitness is that the only person you have to be accountable to is yourself. Really, no one cares about your run. Sad, but true. And no one is going to do it for you. Well, I guess someone could run the race with your race bib...but that's a different blog post. That would be cheating. Certainly not being accountable.

If you are struggling with accountability, there are some things you can do to stay on track.

Make a commitment to yourself. Have you heard the saying: make yourself the priority? It's not just fluff. Remind yourself of how good you'll feel after completing the run. Maybe not physically, but mentally. That feeling of accomplishment sure beats that feeling of giving up. It's one more step towards meeting whatever goals you have set for yourself.

Set realistic goals. Don't bite off more than you can chew. It's hard to stay on track when you're overwhelmed by a training plan. You don't start out running by training for a marathon. And be realistic about your abilities. Don't set a time goal for your first race. Be content with finishing and even better, finishing strong.

Share your plans. There's nothing better for assuring accountability than by putting your goals and plans out there for the world to see. Yep. I did it, telling everyone about my desire for a sub-4 marathon. How will I do that unless I do the work?

Find a running partner. I run solo, but a lot of people who run with a friend or a group tell me that having a partner keeps them accountable.  If you don't show up to run, you not only let yourself down, but also the person(s) that you've promised to run with. That doesn't feel good now, does it?

Treat running like a job. Oh sure, it's a heck of a lot easier to go to work, knowing that you get a paycheck. But if you think about it, there is a paycheck with running, like improved health and fitness, weight loss, being able to eat all the food, and looking great in your clothes? Oh, and not to mention some bling around your neck when you cross the finish line of a race!

Be stronger than your excuses. If you don't get out for a run, you can't blame anyone but yourself. Bad weather? Nope. No excuse. Too busy? Get up earlier in the morning. If you need more incentive, check out these posts on excuses and no excuses.

I like to reuse good memes....

Make running a priority. Set aside time to get your workouts in. Set your alarm for an earlier rising time. And once it goes off, you may as well get up. Because now you're awake. Even if you don't have time for a long run, just go! You know what they say, any run is better than no run.

Make running a habit. Researchers say that it takes 6 weeks to develop a habit--good or bad. Put your runs on the calendar. Set aside a time to run. For me, I run in the morning, before I have time to think about it. I've been running so long that going for a run is like brushing my teeth or showering. I just do it. And I feel weird when I don't. And kind of gross, too.

How do you stay accountable? I'm linking this post up with DebRuns and Wednesday Word. Check out how the other bloggers stay accountable.