How to Make Running Fun, According to Reddit
Getting into the habit of running is good for your heart health, mental health, calorie burning, muscles, lungs and more. Great, so lace up your shoes! What it is? Do you find running boring ? Well, to spice things up a bit, I’ve collected tips from Reddit on how to make running more fun (and added a few of my own). Try these games, strategies, and running route improvements and never fall asleep while running again.
Adjust your pace
There’s only one thing worse than a boring run, and that’s a boring, hard run. There is a time for this kind of thing—it’s called tempo running—but don’t confuse it with your goal for your daily runs.
Later in this article, I’ll share some fun things you can do while running. But it’s hard to enjoy anything while you’re out of breath and in pain. So remember that most of your runs should be done at an intensity that feels like work, not torture . For most, this means slowing down or running. If this is not possible, alternate between jogging and power walking.
Take the scenic route
If you’re bored on the treadmill or treadmill, it’s time to go on an adventure. Several Reddit users noted that changing up your running route is a great way to stay fresh. Run to a destination, “like an ice cream shop or a brewery,” suggests Illustrious-Term2909.
Or run without a goal. Redditor DietCokeCanz would brave a trip without a plan at all: “My city has a car-sharing program, so on long trips I stopped trying to plan my route to end up at home. I just run in any direction, and then when I’ve covered the required distance, I take the car to return home.”
Urban runners can set a goal to run every street in their city or neighborhood. (Apps like CityStrides can help with this.) I remember one summer setting a goal to run every trail in a huge local park, culminating in a long run around the perimeter of the park.
Speaking of trails, they can also be great places for adventure. Some runners become addicted to trail running and never bother running on the road again. Redditor dymogeek says of the call: “Throw tempo out the window. Climb up the mountain. Bomb the hills. Breathe in nature. Be wild.”
Run with friends
If you can get someone to run with you, many Reddit users note that it can make the run more fun. You can chat with your partner, give up route planning responsibilities, and even have a little friendly competition (if that’s your thing). Even if your friend can’t join you on every run, you can still be accountability buddies and try to reach your weekly mileage goals together.
Don’t have friends who run? Visit local running groups at stores, gyms and clubs. Redditor 76ab says: “I don’t know about your area, but there are a ton of fun themed running clubs in my area. Some of them end up in breweries, cafes, ice cream parlors, etc. They tend to attract more casual runners and are more accessible to those who return to them.”
Play mind games while running
Several Reddit users have admitted to making up their own games, similar to the bingo games you may have played on car rides as a kid. ACornACone says: “I always count squirrels, rabbits or dogs. I once counted the number of times someone either smiled at me or nodded their head while I was running.”
Our own Meredith Dietz did something similar when playing the semi-viral game “Run Until,” which simply means you “run until” you see the thing you’ve designated as the end point of the game. “Whenever I feel close to quitting,” she wrote, “I change my workout to a run-until game.” Run until you see someone holding an iced coffee, for example.
Run in the rain
Personally, I hate running in the rain, but some Reddit users find it liberating. “I can’t put into simple words how much I love running in the rain. It makes me forget about my electronics, which is so nice,” says Proper-Scullion-252. It almost makes me want to try it. (Pro tip: Wear a hat or visor to keep the rain out of your eyes.)
Set some training goals
If fun and games aren’t your thing, what about “type 2” entertainment ? This is when an activity is not enjoyable at the moment, but you do it because it will bring some satisfaction in the end. Almost every race and every training program includes the second type of entertainment. This is what motivates me personally – much more than playing games in my head or choosing new routes. I want to see how much I can improve before race day.
Consider these goals:
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Sign up for a race over a distance you’ve never run before (your first 5K, or maybe 10K if you’ve already run a few 5Ks).
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Beat your recent best time at a distance you’ve already run.
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Aim to drive a certain number of miles each week or each month (100 miles per month is a great goal to aim for for beginners).
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Increase the amount of time you spend on long runs on the weekends.
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Start with hill sprints or repetitions, and over time, increase the number of repetitions per workout.
You can also let your running watch give you some metrics to track. Redditor Giggles924 says: “This may be controversial, but tracking my runs has brought me great satisfaction and motivation. Maybe not as much during my runs, but seeing the progress I made over these months was amazing and encouraged me to push myself even harder.”
Listen to a good book or podcast
Having something in your headphones can be a great way to while away the miles. “I unplug from my podcast and/or music and just travel for miles,” says Redditor GilderoyPopDropNLock.
If you like audiobooks, don’t forget that you can borrow them for free from your local library . You might want to choose a book (or podcast) that you’ll only listen to while you’re running, so that you now have two reasons to go on that run: exercise and because you need to find out what happens next in the story or watch the next episode.
Let the app tell you how to run
This isn’t just for a sofa under 5k (although you can do that if you want ). There are plenty of apps designed to help you on your run, complete with pep talks and coaching tips. Some Reddit users recommend Nike Run Club guided runs; others swear by Zombies, Run! and its sporadic “being chased by zombies” scenarios that force you to pick up the pace to avoid them.
Or just stop trying to have fun
Let’s return to the concept of the second type of fun. A running habit doesn’t have to be enjoyable in the moment to be something you look forward to. Redditor hpierce301 shares this view: “If I can run hard, in the cold or rain, having someone yell at me on the phone at work seems trivial. I run to pre-charge my day so the rest is easy.”