Ways to Bust Boredom During Runs

November 13, 2024

Truth be told, running can be a boring activity at times. The long, lonely miles in all types of weather conditions are not only tough on the body, but tough on the mind, too. Listed here are a few favorite ways to bust boredom during your runs.

Be a Mathematician
What better time to practice your mental math skills than during a run? Running provides the perfect time to count and calculate. For instance, you can create a mental log of the number and types of cars, birds, trees, or wildlife that you encounter. You can count your personal biometrics, such as cadence and breathing rate and correlate these metrics to different paces. You can also calculate percentages. What is half of your run? Half of half of your run? Half of half of half of your run?

Run a Mini Workout
Bust boredom by throwing in a miniature workout. For instance, you can plan to increase your pace until you pass three green mailboxes or five cars, then slow down until you pass 4 blue mailboxes or 10 cars. If you are on the treadmill, increase the pace or incline every time a new song plays or you complete 10% of your run.

Draw a GPS Picture
Do you upload the data from your run directly to a website afterwards? If your GPS maps your route, try drawing a picture with your legs. Create your artwork on the fly, or spend time with a map of your neighborhood beforehand to plan a route.

Grab a Friend
If you typically run alone, try inviting a friend along for your next run. Better yet, ask the friend to show you a new route. Talking about even the most mundane topics during a run can make the miles fly by.

Change your Terrain
When running becomes boring, switch up your scenery. Head to a trail, the more technical the better. It is difficult to be bored when you are more concerned with not tripping over a tree root!

Switch your Listening Material
Do you primarily listen to music when you run? Instead of running to music, try switching to audiobooks or podcasts. Your brain will be more engaged than when listening to melodies, which are easier to tune out.

Play the Alphabet Game
Before you start your run, choose a category such as cars or colors. Then, go through the alphabet and see if you can name something from A-Z pertaining to your category. For instance, if your category is cars you might see an Audi, then a Beetle, then a Cadillac…

Interview Yourself
Use your run as an excuse to dream big and spend a few minutes with yourself. What is your biggest, wildest goal? To win a race at the Olympics? To win a Nobel Peace Prize? To save the world? Pretend you have achieved the unthinkable and play out the ensuing interview in your head.