I’ve heard a few people say recently ‘I’ve lost my Mojo’ – we all know the feeling. There are times when our running (or walking) feels great but there are other times when we fall out of love with it. You start missing runs, lose fitness and it all starts to feel like a hard slog. So what is this mysterious ‘Mojo’ and how do you get it back?
The first thing I want to say is that Mojo does not come looking for you! Mojo is out there and only you can find it!
The only exception to this rule is if loss of Mojo is caused by injury. If you are carrying an injury then Mojo will only return if you give yourself time to heal and stick to a good recovery programme.
If you’ve lost your mojo in recent weeks here’s a few tips that might help you find it!
Embrace the Spring! Spring is on it’s way. Despite the recent run of poor weather Spring will not be denied. Daffodils are emerging, birds are singing and nights are getting lighter. Let’s get out and enjoy the season.
Set yourself a Challenge Personally I find having a challenge on the horizon helps to keep me motivated. You’ll have noticed that those of our runners who are training for a marathon have been out running regardless of the wind / rain / snow. There’s a reason for that.
Try something new Always run on your own, try running with friends or join a group. Always run on the road, try running on trails for a change. Always running the same steady pace, try mixing it up with some shorter faster runs or some interval sessions. Maybe it’s time to mix it up with a new sport – cycling or walking still provides the outdoor benefits runners love but offer a different pace and motivation.
Stop comparing Comparing yourself to others kills joy as does comparing yourself with your younger self for those of us who have been at this for a while! Try to run in a mindful way, leave the tech at home sometimes and just focus on how you feel and the environment around you. We are so fortunate to live next to a wonderful park, enjoy it!
Your Mojo will be out there it’s just waiting for you to go and find it!