Motivator-- Track your miles

I know when you're pounding away on the treadmill or just trying to squeeze in a run during the 20 minutes you have between chauferring little people to after school activities, you sometimes wonder if it's really worth it. You're asking yourself if you REALLY feel like putting in a two-miler or watching a rerun of Big Bang Theory.

But the correct answer is that even those small runs are SOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!

First, those short runs are your building blocks. You tend to run those short runs quicker, pushing out your anaerobic threshold and also building up those tendons and ligaments.

Second, they just keep adding up, making you a tougher runner.

Two years ago, I was struggling just to get to finish two miles without stopping. Yes, two years ago I could barely get my two miles done in under 20 minutes.

But they built the foundation. You run two miles, you move up to three. You run three miles you're doing 5Ks. You run a 5K, you build up to the 10K. One day you realize you just ran 8 miles and it didn't kill you and you keep going from there. Or you stick to the 5Ks but you do one after another and you're still running faster than you ever thought possible.

There are tons of apps that will use your phone's GPS to track your miles. You can invest in a pedometer (make sure you get a RUNNING pedometer, not a walking pedometer). You can use a site like RunKeeper or Daily Mile to plot your running course or add up those treadmill miles.

If you want some extra motivation, here's a few fun ways to make those miles add up AND reward yourself:

1- Run to your favorite vacation spot! go to googlemaps or mapquest and plot the distance from your front door to your getaway. For instance, Dickinson, ND to New Orleans, LA is 1743 miles.Then, day by day, week by week, run those miles off around your neighborhood or on that treadmill until you've run the complete distance. Once that's accomplished, reward yourself with a trip to the vacation you've definitely earned!
where's your favorite spot?


2- Pay yourself to workout. For every mile you run, give yourself a dollar. Set a goal for a splurge item-- 7forallmankind jeans to show off that new, smaller booty or some fabulous heels to show off those sculpted calves. Ran 2 miles a day almost every day for two months? That's $200 to reward yourself!

am I really the only one who wishes they gave away Louboutins instead of medals at the finish line?



3- Pay it forward with friends. Keep a jar at work and ask your friends and coworkers to pay up every mile that they run/walk. Whether their budget is 25 cents or a buck a mile, pile it up! At the end of the month, donate the cash to a favorite charity-- like St. Jude's Hospital, in honor of the kids who are living in hospital beds and can't get up and run around. (If you're really into friendly competition, you can even reward the person who collected the most miles with half the cash).



However you chose to add it up, just remember that it does add up! Maybe your goal is a 5K, maybe you're looking to do your first half marathon, or maybe you're a marathon maniac. Ultimately, a mile is a mile!

Make it count!

Happy Running
~Jen and Becky