Switching Up Your Running Routes Sparks More Motivation

Running is easily one of the most fun forms of working out. It comes with hundreds of potential routes, you can go any time of day, and it’s easily accessible with a pair of running shoes and some motivation.

It’s easy to lose motivation if you don’t switch up your running routes.

You can run through the nearby forest preserves, down the road in that small neighborhood, by the water, around a track — literally anywhere.

Here are three reasons you should mix up your running routes.

New Inspiration in New Locations

Inspiration and running go hand-in-hand. There’s so much undiscovered land that we haven’t explored, but we can, thanks to running.

One of the greatest things about running cross-country in college is that we’d be in a brand new location in the midwest every race day, and I’d get to cover uncharted territory.

If you don’t feel like running through a new trail right away, you can go for a walk instead. Cross country teams would typically walk the course before racing to have a general idea of what to expect throughout the race.

Experience has taught me how important it is to just keep going, focusing on running fast and relaxed. Eventually pain passes and the flow returns. It’s part of racing.

— Frank Shorter

No running route is the same.

It takes a brave individual to seek other locations to do it. You don’t need to be scared about getting lost because GPS compatibility on phones and watches is so advanced.

You’ll be happy to see new people, different trees, unique terrain, and so much more. On certain days, you’ll recommend your friends and family to new trails and new towns to explore.

There’s no downside to knowing more about the world around you.

There’s Never a Dull Moment

New locations allow you to make every single run a refreshing dose of inspiration.

For a straight month, I stuck to one route that was 3.5 miles around my town, and it got old at some point. I was no longer excited to run.

Become a multi-dimensional runner.

When your body runs the same route over and over again, certain muscles and twitch muscles get familiar with the route. You’ll miss out on the potential health benefits of running on new terrain and allowing your body to adapt.

You go from a one-dimensional runner to a multi-dimensional runner when you try new routes with more curves, more hills, on the pavement, and off-pavement.

The more routes you’ve run on, the more adaptable your body will be to anything that comes your way — which is fantastic for competitive runners who sign up for lots of races.

The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life.

— George Sheehan

How to discover new locations

It’s easy as 1,2,3 to find a new running location.

Go to Google Maps and type in “trails,” and you’ll be directed to a long list of running trails you can choose from. It’s efficient, and you get the opportunity to choose where you go.

As a runner, the internet is a precious resource for finding new trails.

Not every runner is comfortable going somewhere they haven’t been before, but I can tell you from experience that doing so is such a rewarding feeling.

You’ll realize that the surrounding neighborhoods, trails, and town are fascinating, and you’ll get hooked to looking for your next route.

One day, I asked my cross country teammates if they prefer running through new locations or if they would rather stick to what they’re comfortable with. I found that more than 75% of my team prefers to see new places.

Step outside of your comfort zone, and you won’t regret doing it.

Listen to New Music When You Go Somewhere New

One way to enhance your new route running experience is by playing new music. You’re in a new territory, and there are millions of songs, so why not give yourself a completely brand new experience?

If you have a running playlist, you stick to weekly. This is the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone and try listening to a new wave of music.

25 songs I recommend running to

1. Island — Seven Lions
2. Meridian — Odesza
3. I Wanna Know — RL Grime
4. Shelter — Porter Robinson
5. Senior Skip Day — Mac Miller
6. Summer — Marshmello
7. Wishing Well — Juice WRLD
8. Reverie — Illenium
9. Heroes — Alesso
10. Clarity — Zedd
11. Late Night — Odesza
12. No Sleep — Martin Garrix
13. 8TEEN — Khalid
14. First Time — Seven Lions
15. Better With You — 3LAU
16. Moments — MiTis
17. Mood — 24kGoldn
18. Need Your Love — Gryffin
19. Fly — Marshmello
20. Take Me Home — Cash Cash
21. Telepathy — Jai Wolf
22. Cold Skin — MiTis Remix
23. Disciple — Said The Sky
24. Freesol — Seven Lions
25. Heaven — Avicii

How to Find New Music

I stay inspired by music by going on Spotify to search running playlists other users have created.

I’ve found some incredible music through Spotify, Soundcloud, and YouTube.

You can click an artist you listen to often, scroll down, and see a section that says, “Fans also like this,” where there will be a long list of artists similar to your artist. It’s a great way to maintain motivation and discover fascinating tracks.

Go into Soundcloud, search for a song you love, and add the word “remix” immediately. By doing so, you’ll be taken into another world of music. Many people love the same tunes you do, the only thing is that they know how to alter the sounds in an upbeat way.

The next time you run through a new location, experiment with some new music and let your ears and eyes absorb the entire experience.

If music isn’t your thing, you can try to focus on all of the sounds around you — the birds, the traffic flow, the construction, the way your feet hit the ground, everything.

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.”

- Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Final Thought

If more people changed up their routes, then the consistency rate of runners would skyrocket.

There’s a whole big world out there to explore.

Don’t limit yourself to doing what’s comfortable all the time.

Spike your motivation by trying new running routes, discovering new places, and enjoying a fresh experience every time.