January is the hardest month to motivate yourself to run

In the depths of January it can be hard to imagine bright summer days, scenic trails, post-run picnics and maybe even big city races. But these days will eventually arrive and when they do I want you to be ready to enjoy them feeling strong, fit and energised.

I understand that you might be apprehensive to dream about summer running after all the pandemic disappointments to date. But please don’t let the uncertainty hold you back from getting started. This year I encourage you to take your running one month at a time and see where the year brings you.

Start where you are

We are all starting our running year with different fitness and motivation levels. Some of you are heading back to basics while others are enthusiastically looking forward to building on last year’s achievements. Quite a few of you are hovering somewhere in between; keen to move but cautious about that initial discomfort of those first few comeback runs. Wherever your starting point is this new year, it really is worth remembering that these next few weeks of January are key in setting the foundations for your running year ahead.

January challenges

January is always the month for big plans and resolutions, but it is one of the hardest months to convince our body to actually get out the door. We are only 10 days into the month but already you might feel your new year enthusiasm waning as you pack away the decorations for another year. Don’t worry, many of us are in the same boat. As a coach I see it all the time. My inbox was full of great intentions two weeks ago but even by this second week of January many people have fallen back into old habits, busy schedules and now need support, encouragement and regular reminders to keep on going as we all return to our regular routines.

Expert tips: Advice to women about pelvic health

---

If it’s not Covid, what is it? How to care for a sick child this winter

---

‘My 15-year-old daughter is constantly snacking and eating mindlessly’

---

Weighing up the latest fitness studies and news

---

How to approach January

So instead of January 1st being the start of the grand plan, let’s consider this week ahead our first full “running” week of the new year. The strategy for our Forget The Gym running community (and myself) always has been to finish January feeling comfortably back in the running zone. I don’t put pressure on performance but do encourage a few race days in the diary to keep that little element of fear and accountability to a plan. Keeping our eyes on what is possible by the end of the month is a lot easier than attempting to visualise how we might be feeling by the time summer rolls around. Breaking our year into manageable monthly chunks can really help us from becoming overwhelmed.

The next three weeks

Let’s take five minutes now to decide what you actually will do this month rather than what you “might” do this summer. We have three weeks exactly in our diaries before we close off this long month of January. We all have the same time, but we all have different priorities, responsibilities and commitments outside of running. How much time and freedom do you have in the coming weeks? Write down what is practical for you this month and what can help you stay on track. Do you have a running buddy to keep you accountable, a local running group or coach for support or indeed a training plan to guide you on what to do? Be honest about what is doable and you are more likely to arrive into February content with your progress and enthusiastic about the next steps.

Don’t wait until February

Often our ego or the fear of failure is what is holding us back rather than our fitness. This is the very reason I encourage you to commit to a monthly parkrun or local race – especially when you don’t quite feel ready for it. Knowing we are signed up to an event where we might not be as fast or comfortable as we would like to be can be daunting but it will keep our focus throughout these early months of the year. It is very easy to put off such a challenge until we are truly “ready” and it is certainly tempting to postpone and set our year back another month. But we learn from each of these events and they become key milestones on our journey even if we don’t break any records on the day.

Stepping stones

One of the most exciting things about our running future is that really we have no idea where the year may bring us. Join me in reframing our year as 12 stepping stones rather than one big mountain to climb. You might decide (like I did last year) that the mountain you are climbing isn’t the right one and you can adjust your training plan along the way to what you actually enjoy doing and what fits your schedule. None of us know yet exactly where our running year will take us or how our priorities may change.

We have all learned from the past two years that in order to keep moving, we need to adjust our focus sometimes and accept that some things don’t always go to plan. But there will always be another stepping stone to jump to if you are looking out for it.

Let’s start today

The fact you have read almost a whole article on running at this time of the year leads me to believe that you do see running in your future. One year on from today you can have an extra 12 months of knowledge, fitness, experience and running memories behind you and have a whole new outlook on your running future. Even by the time the summer arrives you will have six months of a base that will allow you to seize opportunities that come your way. Decide now to take it one month at a time and be open minded to where that approach will bring you. Keep the big goals in mind if that motivates you but if not, consider each month an adventure, a chance to adapt, get stronger and feel better in yourself as we continue through these uncertain days. Happy new year.

Sign up for one of The Irish Times' Get Running programmes (it is free!). 
First, pick the eight-week programme that suits you.
- Beginner Course: A course to take you from inactivity to running for 30 minutes.
- Stay On Track: For those who can squeeze in a run a few times a week.
- 10km Course: Designed for those who want to move up to the 10km mark.
Best of luck!

Mary Jennings is founder and running coach with ForgetTheGym.ie. Her new year term of running programmes and classes start this week in Dublin and online.