of stepping up to a higher level of competition can help motivate you to higher levels of performance and enjoyment.Test yourselfIf you don't fancy the intensity of such competitions, you can try testing yourself in more challenging events. The Escape from

Even if you are already convinced that your health—and your running—is a priority, scheduling your runs on a busy day can still be a struggle. Here’s a look at some of the best tricks of the trade to help you overcome scheduling debacles

, consider including some new details.Beyond reason "When you log your training, it's always worth having a motivational reminder on each page to tell you why you are putting in the effort," says Smythe. This might be anything from "marathon in September

Setting challenging yet attainable goals is key to maintaining a long-term running career. After all, you’re more likely to stay motivated when you have something to work towards and can measure your progress at regular intervals. But picking

If you don't have a big race in your sights, it can be hard to stay focused. Challenge yourself, or join others with weekly, monthly or annual mileage targets. By setting yourself a mileage challenge you can combine the motivation of having a target

are secondary in comparison. “Some people simply make running an important priority. Since it’s important to them, running always shows up on their daily ‘to do’ list. Once it’s there, they can’t ignore it,” says exercise scientist Patrick O’Connor.Schedule

camps offer a busy schedule of organised runs, coaching and cross-training, such as yoga or pilates classes, and you'll have the benefit of expert coaching and individual advice, as well as a slew of fellow runners to keep you company. The RW spring

of running for an hour, you might schedule a track workout for 30 minutes. Do an easy warm-up, and then run 4x400m at your 5K pace, with an easy 200m recovery jog between intervals. You can add a repeat every 1-2 weeks, until you're up to, say, eight. If you

to stir up your routine. When you do the same run, day after day, you’re seldom challenged and your motivation is bound to sag. Think of it this way: if you eat a tuna and salad sandwich four days in a row, you’ll probably notice how delicious a different

It’s easy to skip scheduled runs when you’re tired or time-squeezed, even though you know it will cost you pounds on the bathroom scales and seconds on the finish clock. But what if your missed runs impacted your bank account? While money may