Running training in everyday life: This is how you manage to train despite work, family or university

You probably already know this from your job, from your studies or from school: If you set yourself clear goals and establish routines, you will be much more motivated to complete a task.
Applied to running, however, this does not mean that you have to aim for a marathon or a personal best over 10 kilometers. Rather, it is about making sure your goals are realistic and specific.

The so-called “SMART-Rule” will help you to define your goals. This rule comes from project management and is intended to help make planning tasks easier and thus more efficient. In fact, the "SMART-Pattern" can also easily be applied to the definition of running goals. The five letters each stand for a criterion that your goal should meet:

• S for specific: Set yourself a specific route or a specific period of time that you want to run as a goal.
• M for measurable: State exactly how long you want to exercise or go running per week or per day. For example, it would not be measurable if you only stated “I want to run more” as a goal.
• A for achievable: Choose e.g. running routes that are fun. Or motivate yourself by designing your own running shirt.
• R for realistic: Only set goals that you can actually achieve. Of course you can also plan according to the motto "dream big". But if you've just started running, for example, a marathon as a first goal would be a little too high...
• T for time-bound: Set a clear date for reaching your goal. This deadline will also help you prevent procrastination.

It is best if you enter your running units in your diary like any other appointment. For example, if you are in the process of creating your weekly plan, it should also include time slots for your sporting activities.

This is how you can build your training sessions:

Go running in the morning before work, university, school or training (or everyday life with children).

If you go for a run in the morning, you have already done something good for yourself, your body and your soul even in a stressful everyday life before the actual stress. You also save time, because you always have to shower or get ready in the morning anyway. If you do sports, you kill two birds with one stone. Another advantage: By starting with sport, you produce endorphins in the morning. These happiness hormones make you more balanced and happier.

Here are three important tips for your morning run from our running expert Anna Gehring:

• It is best to put your running clothes out in the evening.
• Set the alarm so that there is still enough time to wake up. So you don't have to get out of bed and into your running gear. This can cause stress...
• It's best to start your run relaxed at first. Then increase the pace.
  
  

Some people prefer to walk alone. But it can also be very motivating to do sports with others. If you go running with running partners or in a running community, it has many advantages because:

• Appointments for running or sports are not going to be canceled that easily.
• Training partners and/or training groups, running clubs, etc. give you additional motivation and at the same time ensure a fixed training date that gives you more structure for the week.
• In a group, tempo runs, for example, are easier after a stressful day at work than if you run alone. You can then encourage each other.

Running, like other sports, should above all be fun and bring you joy! It is therefore very important that you set your goals carefully. Goals that are too high can quickly lead to frustration, which sends your motivation plummeting. Likewise, unrealistic schedules can cause additional stress. That doesn't help anyone.

Because running helps you in stressful everyday life to reduce stress hormones. Sport reduces the cortisol in your body, which in turn has a positive effect on your health and, for example, on your sleep.

What can also help you: We have also put together various tips for running training for beginners or running training for advanced runners.

So: Set your goals realistically and listen to what you enjoy. If you find that you don't enjoy running (anymore), it can make sense to change a few parameters. Maybe you're more someone who prefers to go running in the evenings? Maybe you just need some running partners? Or maybe it motivates you when you get on your bike from time to time?

Basically, it is always possible to incorporate running training into everyday life. Just give it a try!