Running can be quite a monotonous activity, especially if you are heading out for a very long run. Just repeated steps after steps for hours. Trying to have a little fun sometimes can help me enjoy running even more and go even further.
Here are some things that I do to make my runs more fun and interesting:
Run with someone
This is one of the best ways to keep boredom out of the run.
Whenever I am going for a very long run especially those slow ones, I will try to get someone to run along with me. Having a friend or buddy with me, we can have some casual conversation along the way to break the boredom. Usually, with someone running along side me, time seems to pass faster and the distance seems to be shorter. Try it!
Run at my own comfortable pace
Being competitive, I will tend to always want to run at a fast pace or try to do a good timing for the distance that I am covering. However, if I always want to run at such a pace, the fatigue feeling may take the fun out of the running.
Slowing down the pace and enjoy the run at the slower pace can make running more enjoyable. Running at my own comfortable can make me more relaxed and feeling more easy.
Enjoy the scene and Snap along the way
Don’t just run, do appreciate the scenery around you.
I realized this when I was doing my trial running in Hong Kong. I discovered that the nature around me could be so beautiful and amazing. Thereafter, I started to appreciate my surroundings when I run.
Of course, sometimes living in at city there may not be so much things to look at. Therefore I may choose my running route on a more scenic one. Or sometimes just running into the beautiful sunset could make the experience so different.
Sometimes, I would carry my mobile phone for the run, and snap photos of interesting happenings along the way. You will never know what kind of photo you are going to take.
Caught a monkey on camera during one of my runs
Interesting Running Path
Thanks for the various well-designed parks in Singapore, it’s not difficult to find a park with nice view and interesting running path near most residential estate.
Try catching up with the person in front
Instead of just pacing with myself, sometimes I may try to pace or catch up with the person in front of me. Especially if he is running about the same pace as me, I may want to catch up with the person and then let the person do the pacing for me. By setting a person for me to catch up with, it will give me a “goal” in front of me to focus on, and to catch up with. This can take out the boredom of me trying to pace myself.
Take it as a time off from work and stress
I take running as a good time off from my work and life stress. It is a good time for me to reframe and relax my mind. Interestingly, during my runs, good and exciting ideas always come into my thoughts and I can use these ideas once I finish my run!
Do you have a favourite running spot or route that you truly enjoy? Comment below and share with me as I am always looking a new spot to run in Singapore:)
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I am an avid runner and I often write new articles here at Ontrack.sg about running as well as property investment (my another passion in life). If you want to get the latest alert of my writings, you can like my Facebook page here.