From the September 2012 issue of Runner’s World

3 ways to make running part of your routine

By Jessica Girdwain

1 Set a Cue
Doing the same thing before every run will prime your body and brain to anticipate what’s to come, says Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit. “Even if you can’t run at the same time every day, you can use the same cue to flick your ‘time to exercise’ switch,” he says.

2 Reward Yourself
“Giving yourself a reward after a workout will help establish the habit,” he says. Pick anything from a long shower, a favourite smoothie, or the endorphin rush – but make it consistent. “The cue will trigger both your run and a craving for the reward.”

3 Repeat
New habits are formed through repetition. “It takes practise and effort to learn a new routine,” says Duhigg. In fact, he says, “for the first couple of weeks, your body doesn’t know it loves running. But once you get into a running habit, it will exist your entire life.”

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