DON’T DELAY

Strategies to cope with those difficult moments when you struggle to get out the door

WE LOVE TO RUN, but sometimes getting going feels tough. We put it off in the morning, resolve to do it at noon and put it off again. And then again. Getting out the door even when you don’t want to might be one of the hallmarks of the serious runner, but once in a while even the most committed among us has the urge to give in to inertia. For those times when you need to run but can’t find the gumption, here is what some top runners do to overcome routine procrastination.

Make a date

Holding yourself accountable to another runner is the single most popular tactic for ensuring a daily workout. Even if you’re the only one showing up, setting a specific time for your run will keep you from waiting for the spirit to move you out onto the road.

Don’t think

Set yourself up to make the run as non-deliberative as possible. Don’t think too much about the choices involved – eg route, pace etc – until you are kitted up and ready to go.

Invest it with importance

Convince yourself that today’s run is essential to achieving your goal, even if the workout in question is an easy five-miler. Better still, consider the typically delayed run a test of your will and self-control.

And if you still don’t fancy it

If all these strategies don’t work, it might actually be wise to skip the run. Frank Partnoy, author of Wait: The Art and Science of Delay (Publicaffairs), believes that runners – and he is one – sometimes are wise to hold off a little if the thought of running evokes a feeling of dread. Delaying is a form of listening to your body, he argues, and waiting allows you to assess more feedback and may lead you to a wiser decision.