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It can’t just be me who feels like the temperatures have plummeted in the last week or so?

Spending time outdoors and moving is so easy in the summer. The weather is warm, there’s no need for a million layers and accessories, the days are long and it’s easy to fit in a run around all your other commitments.

Come winter however the instinct to hibernate is real. Unappealing weather, short days and the promise of cosiness at home makes the idea of stepping outside to move hard to stomach.

It can be tempting to stay indoors snuggled under a blanket as the temperatures plummet, but with a few little tweaks and the right kit, winter running can be an amazing experience!

How To Keep Running This Winter - Bethan Taylor-Swaine, London Wellbeing Blogger

Remember Your WHY

This is my number one tip for anyone who’s struggling to get up and get out.

Your ‘why’ is the reason you get up and out the door. It’s WHY you endure those tough runs. It’s what drives you through the wind and rain. It’s what you remind yourself of during a race. A RUNNER’S WHY IS EVERYTHING. It’s not something tangible, but more like a feeling, the thing that lights you up and makes your heart sing. You can read more about my WHY here.

When things get hard I like to go back to basics and remind myself of my why and journalling can be a useful tool when you’re going through a tricky time and need to remind yourself of what matters (you can read here about the benefits of practicing gratitude and the power it has over our mindset). Journalling sounds a lot more complicated than it is, really you just need a pen and paper or the notes section of your phone and to quickly jot down a few points that remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing. There’s no need to spend ages over the exercise (I usually suggest just 60 seconds! Set a timer on your phone!) and prompts like the ones below can be a really useful starting point as you reflect on where you’re at;

What inspired you to take up running, and what inspired you to keep running?

What is it about running that you enjoy? Why?
What was the best run (not race!) you’ve ever done? Why was it so good?

By taking the time to clarify your thoughts and concerns you can make the space in your mind to focus and keep your eye on the prize. You’re not a runner because you’re training for a race, you’re a runner because you like to run!

Set A New Goal

Setting a new goal can be a great way to get excited about running when it feels tough to get out the door.

Take the time to reflect on what you want and set yourself some short, medium and longer terms running goals that will keep you motivated until races are back up and running. You could set a new 5km goal, get to the track to work on your speed, give trail running a shot or even commit to running a specific number of miles in a month.

How To Keep Running This Winter - Bethan Taylor-Swaine, London Wellbeing Blog

Habit Over Motivation

One of the most common questions people ask me is how do you stay motivated?

The simple answer? I don’t, I form habits.

Although forming habits takes focus and energy (aka motivation), the longterm pay off is huge!

Think about when you learnt to ride a bike. At first it was hard and required a lot of mental energy, but over time you became more comfortable with cycling and pretty soon it became almost habitual and required way less focus (and therefore demands less mental energy). It’s the same with every other habit in your life, as every habit-forming activity follows the same behavioural and neurological patterns.

According to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, every habit begins with a pattern called a ‘habit loop’. This three-part process starts with a cue or trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic and let a behaviour occur. Next comes routine, which is the behaviour itself, and thirdly there’s reward, something that your brain likes and will help it remember the ‘habit loop’ in the future.

Every habit starts out as a decision to do something. Decisions are made in the prefrontal cortex, but as soon as the behaviour becomes automatic the decision-making part of your brain fades into the background and the basal ganglia, the part of the brain where habit making behaviour occurs (along with having a role in the development of emotion, memories and pattern recognition) takes over. When this happens Duhigg explains that ‘the brain can almost completely shut down…this is a real advantage, because it means you have all of this mental activity you can devote to something else’.

So, if you make running a habit you’ll get out there in even the worst weather because you’re running on auto pilot!

Move Indoors

If all else fails and you simply can’t face running outside get indoors and get on a treadmill!

I go to the gym every day and I love it. It gets me out of the house, breaks up a long day of working from home and means I get to interact with lots of different people, plus it means on the days I don’t want to run outside I have ready access to a treadmill.

In the past I was such a snob about running on a treadmill, but done right it can be a lot of fun! If I’m indoors I like to focus on tougher interval workouts that keep things interesting and that need my full attention or, if I don’t feel like really pushing, I’ll watch TV shows on my iPad to pass the time during a steady run.

Invest In The Right Kit

The right kit makes all the difference when it comes to winter running, these are my essentials…

A good base layer

A good base layer is one of the most versatile pieces of kit a runner can own and it’s an essential when the temperatures start to drop. A snug base layer wicks the sweat away from you skin so you don’t spend your run damp and shivery while also being lightweight and streamline enough to layer under an outer layer during your warm up or on extra cold days.

I absolutely love Runderwear’s Running Base Layer that I’m wearing in these pictures and which has been designed with comfort and performance in mind. It’s warm enough to wear on even the coldest day, without running the risk of overheating if I misjudge the weather!

Be Safe, Be Seen

Shorter days mean you’re more likely to be out running after dark and safety becomes more important than ever.

Reflective clothing is a great investment if you’re running in urban areas and along roads as you’ll be lit up light a Christmas tree whenever a light hits you. It also doesn’t have to cost the world and stores like Decathlon offer some great options. If you’re looking to invest a little more Proviz has some amazing options that’ll definitely make sure you’re seen!

If you’re running somewhere poorly lit a head torch is a good idea so that you can see where you’re going, and again you can pick them up pretty inexpensively from stores like Decathlon (I’ve had the same one for years and swear by it). I also really love clip on ‘disco lights’ like these ones from Nathan - again I’ve used them for years to make sure traffic and other pedestrians can see me coming!

A Good Waterproof

Good running waterproofs are hard to come by. I’ve had so many over the years, and so often I’ll end up feeling like I’ve been running in a greenhouse as they trap sweat inside and cold rain seeps through the edges.

While I’ll often go without a jacket, if it absolutely pelting it down I wear my Chrome Industries Storm Salute Commuter Jacket (which I’m wearing in these pictures). Although it’s technically a cycling jacket I’ve run in it through torrential downpours a few times and it’s kept me snug and dry.