20 Ways to Get Out for Your Run Right Now (Even When You Really Don’t Want To)
You don’t feel like running. I get it—we’ve all been there. And since there's only a small window before your hesitation turns into a definite no (because you got distracted reading this article), I’ll get straight to the point.
Here are 20 ways to get out for your run—even when motivation is at an all-time low.
1. Commit to Just 5 Minutes
Behavioral psychology supports the idea that committing to just 5 minutes of an activity lowers the barrier to entry. Once you start, you’re more likely to continue due to the Zeigarnik Effect (our brains want to finish what we start). Drop the pressure of having to do the full run or workout. Promise yourself 5 minutes at any pace. If you want to stop after that, you can. Chances are, you’ll keep going.
2. Run Before Anyone Else Wakes Up
It’s quiet, and there are no distractions. In the summer it's cooler in the morning. This is the perfect time to do exactly what you want to do—run—before the world (and your brain) starts checking in on everything else that needs to get done.
3. Mood Follows Movement
“I don’t have to be in the mood to run.” Repeat that ten times until you believe it! Studies show that even light-intensity physical activity immediately boosts mood and reduces stress. You don’t need a hard workout to feel better, just some light movement…and that comes first. And the paradoxical thing is, once you move, then you’ll feel more likely to want to move. Study link
4. Schedule a Run With a Friend Or Join a Local Running Group
Accountability works. You’re less likely to cancel if someone’s waiting on you. Plus, running with a friend or group is way more fun.
5. Skip the Drills and Warm-Up
As a coach, I rarely say this—but if you’re struggling to even start, just go run. Skip the warm-up, start super slow, and let the movement ease you in. You can always do drills another day.
6. Get Dropped Off
Have someone drop you 1–2 miles from home (or however far you want to run), and then run back. You’ve removed the option to not run. It’s simple, effective, and slightly masochistic—in the best way.
7. Get Out of the House
Staying in the same place where motivation is low (often in the comfort zone of our house), is a recipe for repeating the same habits. Just like the song Get Up, Get Out by Born Dirty, she says, “Get up, get out, get motivated, get inspired…” So get up, and get out of your house! Change your environment to shake things up and get into a different mindset. My friend Colleen Quigley and I created a reel to help you with just that! Say this to yourself in the mirror on the reg! Get Up, Get Out!
8. Listen to Music That Makes You Feel
Play your favorite song, or a song that makes you laugh, dance, or brings back memories from childhood. There’s something about nostalgia in music that can jolt us out of a funk and into movement. If you need a playlist I have three!
9. Download a Podcast
Let your brain get lost in a story, and your body will follow. Comedy, mystery, or a topic you’ve always wanted to learn about—your mind will be miles ahead before your legs catch up. Some of my favorite podcasts are Mel Robbins, Rich Roll, and Huberman Lab.
10. Run to Somewhere Fun
End your run somewhere you want to be: a coffee shop, bakery, bar, or trail overlook. Give yourself a rewarding view, treat, or experience.
11. Run as Slow as You Want
There’s no pressure to run fast, or at your usual pace. Start at the slowest jog or walk-jog you can imagine. Just move.
12. Tap Into Gratitude
Remember the times you couldn’t run—due to injury, illness, or life. Reflection is a powerful tool and can cultivate feelings that inspire you and reflect back where you were one month, one year or one decade ago. Chances are, you’re in a different place today. And if you’re able to move today, celebrate that. Movement is a gift, not a punishment, and reflection and gratitude can spark the joy of movement.
13. Look Good, Feel Good
Put on your favorite ‘fit. Neon colors, 80s jazzercise, matching sets, jorts—whatever makes you feel good. Have a costume collection? A tutu? A turkey onesie from a Turkey Trot last year? Anything goes! Many professions require uniforms, and our runs can too!
14. Go to the Gym
Treadmill it up! Being around others moving their bodies can create subtle (or strong) motivation. Peer pressure, but make it healthy.
15. Try Not Running
Did you know it’s not a big deal if you don’t run today? Or even 5 days in a row? You literally will lose NO FITNESS WHATSOEVER if you take the next 5 days off and sit on the couch. It’s around the 7-10 day mark of not moving or cross training at all where fitness slowly starts to decline.
Sometimes our bodies are asking for a day off and it’s helpful to listen to them. A lack of motivation may come from being tired, stressed, or not in touch with our inner voice. Pause, be still for 5 minutes, and listen to what comes up. Write that down and repeat the process tomorrow and the next day until what you want to be doing compared to what you are doing start to align.
And make sure days off are pre-planned in your schedule so you view them as an essential part of training and gaining fitness through recovery, and not a day where you’re falling behind. Ever hear the quote, “The workout isn’t over until you recover?” It’s a reminder that days off are essential and are quite literally a part of the full circle of training. Personally, I love taking Sunday’s completely off from running. All of the athletes I coach take at least one day off every single week and after trying it, they’ve never asked to run 7 days again!
Mindset Shifts That Can Help You Run Anyway:
16. Visualize the Post-Run Feeling
You’ve felt it before: clear head, proud heart, buzzing energy. Remember that. It’s waiting for you.
17. Use Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule
Countdown: 5-4-3-2-1. When you get to number one, go for your run.
18. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
Take a moment of pause and come to your senses to shift your mindset before deciding to run. Notice the following things:
5 things you see
4 things you feel
3 things you hear
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
Slowing down and taking a moment to come to your senses can be a powerful reset.
19. Make Running a Ritual
A spiritual practice, even. Run to greet the day. One of the women I coached at Northern Arizona University grew up on the Navajo Reservation and said morning runs were a ritual to greet the sun and the day. Let running be more than exercise, and a way to connect with yourself, your environment, and something beyond us tiny ants running around this big planet!
20. Do It for Future You
Even if you don’t want to now, your future self will thank you. Think about how you want to feel in 30 minutes, or tomorrow, not how you feel right now. Set yourself up for success tomorrow!
Running doesn’t always start with motivation—it often begins with a simple decision to move. Whether it’s five minutes, a favorite song, or a friend waiting for you, there’s always a way to take that first step. We love to say the hardest part is getting out the door, but if we’re being literal here…it’s actually the easiest. It’s a couple of steps and a twist of the handle—and congrats, you’re already crushing it.
