New Year, New You not working for you?

2021 is shaping up to be another extraordinary year – you could argue that each new year can offer this claim, but with everyday life curtailed and an uncertain timescale on when things will pick up again it just seems harder this year and a month in, where have you got to?

I generally have a slow start to the year – all the enthusiasm of goals set fades quickly – which leads me to use January as a warm up. A way to build up to whatever I want to achieve in the rest of the year, a way to build up to some harder training. This approach also works well with the weather we have here in the UK – less conducive to getting outside but rewarding if you make the effort.

Traditionally you may have picked a target race for the season ahead – a spring marathon or half marathon distance, or perhaps you would be looking ahead to your first 5km distance. With most races off at the moment, you would be forgiven for wondering what on earth you’re going to do looking into the long blank calendar of the future.

Let’s look in a bit more detail about what picking that target will do. It gives you some motivation, you will probably follow a training schedule and you will be out running regularly. It helps you build a habit. For any athlete, consistency is the most important aspect of reaching a goal. Regular training will yield results (as long as it’s balanced, varied and doesn’t involve too much too soon).

It’s not all despair, there are definitely some options to substitute for a spring race:

-          Coaching: group or 1:1 coaching can be delivered online and can hold you accountable as you build the running habit. You’ll get a variety of sessions and can be reassured that you’re not doing too much too soon; plus, you can get advice on wider training points like nutrition and injury prevention in an holistic approach.

-          Virtual races: sign up to run your chosen distance on your own chosen route in a specified time period.

-          Virtual missions: Cover a set distance in a specific duration – anything from a week to a year. Cumulatively your runs or walks will add up to the total distance. This is great for motivation to get out  and cover some distance as everything counts

-          Find a run buddy: by agreeing to meet someone at a specific time you’re less likely to duck out and having a good chat on the way round can give you a double boost for your mental health. You can also share the load of deciding routes and sessions.

Use January to build beneficial habits in other areas of your life as well. For successful sport you need to be taking care of stress levels, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet. It can also be a time to try something new – level up your stretching routine or start to build a strength element to your training.