The Secret to Long-Term Running Motivation

Learn why you are struggling with running motivation and how to start running consistently again

Do you remember when you started feeling the benefits of running? Everybody’s first few runs are tough. Painful, even. But once you got past that initial struggle, did you find the feeling of moving and pushing your body, spending time outside and seeing progress week-on-week offered an incredible sense of achievement and fulfilment? 

In those early days, we are excited to get our trainers on and head out of the front door, rain or shine. Sure, there were probably days when the weather put you off, but overall you found it a joy to fit running into your busy schedule.

For so many of us, running motivation comes easily at the beginning of the journey but gradually feels as though it is draining away over time. Eventually, we reach the point where we can hardly bear to look at our running shoes. We see other people going for regular runs and question whether they have some level of willpower that we simply don’t.

Why is this downward spiral so common? Before we get stuck into a strategy that will help you reignite your running motivation, let’s take some time to understand what’s going on (spoiler: it isn’t your lack of willpower that’s holding you back!)

Why does Running Motivation Fade?

There is one huge – monumental – problem that hampers most people’s running journeys and, often, they don’t even realise it. 

You might think you’re just not enjoying running as much as you used to or perhaps you feel that your priorities have changed. Maybe you think you just don’t have the willpower to build such an active habit consistently. Perhaps running isn’t for you, after all.

But if you’re like most people, none of these are the real reasons you stopped running. The truth is, the vast majority of us have never been taught how to effectively motivate ourselves. You have probably been using the wrong motives – motives that work in the short term but are useless for maintaining long-term motivation.

Are you using the wrong motives?

When you think about what motivates you to run, what comes to mind? Try to be honest with yourself. Perhaps you’re thinking about crossing the finishing line of a race, losing a certain amount of weight or posting a photo of your run on Strava and sitting back to watch the kudos roll in. Maybe you even think the guilt of not going for a run can be an effective motive.

These are exactly the sorts of motives that most of us have been taught growing up. If we do well at school, we’ll get a gold star. If we set goals, we’ll achieve better results. Not to mention the tradition of setting ourselves up for failure with New Year’s resolutions, year after year.

These types of traditional motivation strategies are deeply flawed. 

The motives are based on rewards and punishments. When these short-term desires or fears are removed (or achieved/forgotten about), your motivation will dwindle. While they can provide a short-term boost in drive, behavioural scientists have shown that they don’t work to sustain long-term motivation. 

Reward- or punishment-based motives might have fuelled your running motivation at the beginning of your journey. They were probably enough to keep you engaged for a month or two – perhaps even longer – but if you’re still relying on them as your main source of motivation, your running journey will be a whole lot harder than it needs to be.

Finding your Running Motivation

So, we know what doesn’t work, but what does work when it comes to staying motivated in the long term? This question has been the subject of lots of scientific research, so fortunately we have the answer. 

If you only take one thing from this blog post, let it be this: 

To sustain your running motivation, you must align your running with what is most important to you.

What are the parts of your life that you care deeply about and that you need to fuel regularly to feel fulfilled? I realise this is a big question, so take some time to explore it. 

Reflect on your peak experiences

As a starting point, try to recall the moments in your life when you felt most fulfilled, proud or truly yourself. Ask yourself questions like:

• When did I feel most connected to my true self?

• What was I doing in those moments, and why were they meaningful to me?

• Who was with me, or was I alone? How did that contribute to the experience?

  
  

By analysing these high points, you can identify common threads. Perhaps you were helping someone, working towards something that will have a positive impact on others, or exploring a new place. These experiences often point toward underlying values like connection, adventure or personal growth.

Think about your running, too. Was there a stage in your journey when you loved going out for a run? What parts did you most enjoy, and what did those runs bring to your life?

Examine what most frustrates you

Next, try the opposite approach: think about the times when you have felt frustrated and unlike your true self. Sometimes, understanding what is most important to you becomes clearer when you think about situations that have triggered strong negative reactions. Consider:

• What situations consistently make me feel uncomfortable or distressed?

• When have I felt that something was unfair, wrong or hurtful?

• What values might have been at odds in those moments?

  
  

For example, if you feel upset when your personal space or control over your time is compromised, it could indicate that independence or freedom is a key value for you. If you feel frustrated when you have to spend a day inside on your own, perhaps social interaction and spending time in nature are important to you.

Notice where you spend your time and energy

Where we naturally focus our time and energy can reveal a lot about our values. Look at how you spend your free time, what activities energise you, and what you prioritise over other commitments. Ask yourself:

• What activities make me lose track of time because I’m so engaged?

• Where do I consistently invest my time, energy and resources?

• What are the things I can’t imagine my life without?

  
  

For instance, if you spend a lot of time nurturing relationships, community, or family, it’s likely that connection is important to you. If you often find yourself setting and working toward new challenges, growth or achievement might be one of your values.

Visualise your ideal life

An effective way to clarify your values is to imagine your ideal life, free of constraints. This can help you connect with what truly excites and fulfils you, beyond external pressures or societal expectations. Try this visualisation:

• Picture yourself in a perfect world where all your needs are met, and you are living your dream life. What would you focus on building? What would you choose to progress with? Who are you with? What environment surrounds you?

• What emotions do you feel in this ideal life and what activities or experiences bring you the most joy and meaning?

• What does a typical day look like in this imagined future?

  
  

This exercise can help you identify what you really want out of life. Just be careful to make sure your answers are genuine – check in with yourself that they are what you want, not what you think you should want. Whether it's freedom, creativity, connection or adventure, visualising your ideal future can illuminate what’s truly important to you. 

Testing your Why

When you have some answers to the question ‘What is most important to you?’, try testing them.

A great approach is to ask yourself ‘Why?’ until the only feasible answer is ‘Because it’s important to me.’ If, for example, you think losing 10lbs is deeply important to you, the dialogue might go something like this:

“I want to lose 10lbs.”

Why? “Because I want to feel fitter.”

Why? “Because I want to live an active lifestyle.”

Why? “Because I want to make the most of my life and still be able to run around with my grandkids when I’m 80.”

Why? “Because being closely connected with my family is important to me.”

Bingo!

Losing 10lbs or feeling fit aren’t true answers to “What is most important to you?” Staying connected with your family, however, might be.

Let’s try another example:

“I want to feel less stressed.”

Why? “Because I want a clearer head when I go to work”

Why? “Because I want to be more focused and better able to complete tasks as well as I know I can when I’m on form.”

Why? “Because I find work much more fulfilling when I feel in control and fully engaged in the projects.”

Why? “Because when I do my work well, I help improve other people’s lives.”

Building Sustainable Running Motivation

Sustaining running motivation isn’t about finding a quick fix or relying solely on willpower. It’s about understanding what truly drives you. Once you have uncovered what is most important to you, you can link your values to your running journey. 

By aligning your running with what is important to you and focusing on small but consistent steps, you can keep your running motivation strong – even when the initial excitement fades. 

So don’t put your running shoes away for good just yet.

Using these scientifically proven techniques, it is absolutely possible to reignite your running motivation – and keep it! Linking your values to your running is the secret to sustaining long-term running motivation.

How The Ultimate Runner’s Planner Helps with Long-Term Running Motivation

The Ultimate Runner’s Planner is based entirely on the scientific research around human behaviour and long-term motivation. It is a practical tool bursting with valuable information, tips and work pages for you to fill in throughout your running journey.

To form the foundations of your long-term running motivation, the planner guides you through the process of identifying what is most important to you. Armed with these vital insights, you will keep your values at the forefront of your running journey by incorporating them into your weekly running commitments and reflecting on them in your Post-Run Journal. 

The running planner includes lots of other advice and activities to boost your long-term running motivation, too. For example, there is a section for designing running habits that make going for a run easier (and are built to last!), and a Pre-Run Journal for when you are struggling to find the motivation to go for a run. The tracking section includes useful graphs to add to after every run you complete. 

Every element of the planner includes science-backed techniques to help you foster long-term running motivation and offers invaluable reminders about how to sustain your drive, even when the journey gets tough.

Buy yours now and experience the true benefits running can bring to your life.