To be a runner, you have to run. To be a good runner, you have to run consistently. Consistency is often easier said than done because it requires making a decision to commit to your goal every.single.day. It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do yesterday, the only thing that matters is what you are going to do today. Every day is a new day.

One of the best ways to develop consistency is to surround yourself with like-minded people. Here are some tips that I hope will help you!

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

Jim Rohn

Join a run group

When I started running, joining a running group was the game changer for me. When a couple of the others in the crew ran 200km in one month, we celebrated their achievement. At the time, I was only running 1-2/week and thought it would be absolutely impossible for me to run 200km/month. But eventually, I started to run 3 times a week and then 4 times a week. Before I knew it, 200km/month became my norm. When you surround yourself with others who also run consistently, you are more likely to run more.

If you’re in the Toronto area, check out my runcrew We Run North York. We do weekly group runs for different distances and paces. All are welcome!

Follow runners on social media

If you are on social media, another way to surround yourself with like-minded people is to start following runners and fitness accounts on the social networks that you may be on. As you mindlessly scroll through your social feed, if you see others posting about running, it’s like planting a seed into your mind. You never know when it will grow but it will!

Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habit. Your habit becomes your character. Your character becomes your destiny.

Tell people about your goal and ask them to keep you accountable

There are two types of accountability partners. The first type is someone who gives you positive reinforcement. They are perpetual encouragers and are your biggest cheerleaders. They find the positive in everything you do which motivates you to do more. The second type is someone who tells it like it is and they are there to dish out tough love. These people aren’t afraid of reminding you of your goal and will literally push you out the door when you would rather sit on your butt. Either way, the result is the same. A good accountability partner pushes you to stick to your goals. If you don’t have one already, find an accountability partner who will push you towards your goal!

I hope you find these tips helpful. Let me know if you have other tips to share! I hope to share many more training tips on this blog. Let me know if there are specific questions or topics that you want me to post about!