Remember your 'why'.

We all run for different reasons, whether that be to keep active, improve performance, for mental health, or just for the sheer enjoyment of it. With any runner, some days it all goes to plan and running feels effortless and other days it can be a struggle, but when those days arrive, it is important to remember your ‘why’. It is this which helps get you through the challenging days, as even when your legs aren’t feeling it, your head or heart can push you on. Just keep reminding yourself, why do I do it?
 
Is it passion? For a lot of us, myself included, it is our love of running that gets us out of the door most days. Even when I’m not quite feeling it, as soon as I get going and my legs start spinning, I love every second. For those who don’t run, it is difficult to explain to someone how a single sport can produce so much passion, but it isn’t necessary simply the sport itself, but instead, what it represents. Yes, I love the act of running but I also love the way it makes me feel, the journey it has taken me on, the people it has lead me to meet, and the path that lies ahead of me. It is my passion for all of these things that adds up and contributes to the passion that gets me out of the door each morning.                                                                                                                                           
 
For mental health? There is the saying, a healthy body equals a healthy mind, and I firmly believe this. I feel so much happier and more positive after I have exercised. I enjoy everything else I do more, and I feel a lot fresher and sharper in my mind. I have never gone on a run or done another form of exercise a regretted it. Whether it is pouring with rain or bright sunshine, the clarity I feel in my mind after I have got my training done is incomparable to anything else.  

​To keep fit? Our health is the most important thing we possess, so we need to look after it. Ultimately, a healthy body is one of the strongest weapons in life and exercising regularly is one of the easiest ways to make sure you keep fit. If you don’t enjoy exercising, keep reminding yourself of the benefit it will have. Not only will it keep your body in good check, but it will also make other tasks seem so much easier. Whether that is cleaning the house, walking up flights of stairs, or taking the dogs for a walk; all these tasks can become that little bit easier if you partake in regular exercise. 
 
For longer term goals? Especially at the moment, when there is a distinct lack of races going on, it is my long-term goals that are helping to keep me motivated through the winter months. Without immediate goals to direct my focus, I find it important to look further ahead, and use this to keep me motivated on those gloomy days. Whether it is a goal 1 year away, or 10, thinking of those allows me to remember the importance of training now to my future. 
 
Whatever your ‘why’, keep it in your mind at all times, as that is what will carry you through the tough days and make them all the more worth it when you come out the other side.