One of the biggest challenges with running is keeping up them momentum. After all, running is a built up sport, you have to keep running to get better.

I have a few tricks to keep up my momentum, especially now that it seems, I will get very little help from my previous running coach. I have to rely on me for motivation and get outside and run. Some of the tricks that I used last year were, running races periodically to assess my progress, giving myself rewards for finishing my goals and some added peer pressure for good measure.

Momentum while traveling, is tough. I travel to places that usually aren’t safe places to run solo, so I usually run on a treadmill, or do laps in my hotel room, yes I’ve done that. Or do jumping jacks until I can’t stand them. So I was thrilled a few weeks ago when I had to travel to Southern California, not only did my hotel have a great gym, they also had pre-printed running routes. Before learning about the running routes, I guestimated the distance around the pool just in case, and calculated how many reps of water bottle arm lifts I’d have to do, to get a good workout. I avoid running on a treadmill, because I get bored easily.

I had to use my imagination to get a good run in, but I was pleased with myself because I managed to run every morning while I was there. In fact I developed a routine which included a Starbucks stop before my last quarter mile run back to the hotel.

So here’s my running route:
Two laps over the small bridge, this was my mini hill repeat, since the rest of the route was flat.

My water hazard, I tried really hard to avoid the sprinklers after this warning. Usually I run through them to cool off!

This became my mini running track, it’s day job is a car roundabout, but I used it to do some speed drills and to extend my mileage.

Some of my running partners. What’s that riddle about 3 crows? There were 3 of them, one flew away before I could snap the picture.

My push up bar and step exercise area.

The longest part of my route was running around an apartment complex. The distance around the apartment complex was exactly a mile, so I could do as many laps as I wanted depending on how far I wanted to run. It was a popular route for other runners and walkers as well.

That’s the end of my route. It really helped to keep my momentum while traveling. Sometimes a little imagination and a mile long apartment complex is all you need to keep your training on track. By the end of the week I had logged about 15 miles running this route.

I now have 122 days before my marathon! Time to kick up the intensity. 15 miles will eventually become a long run instead of a week’s total. My goal is to average about 30 miles a week for the month of July. I do have some travel during this time, let’s see where my imagination takes me.