What Consistency Actually Looks Like
Spend any time on running instagram and you’ll come across plenty of content about how consistency is key to becoming a faster, stronger runner. And it’s true. Consistency wins over any other training ‘hack’ every single time. But the problem is that no-one really gets into the nitty gritty of what consistency means and how to achieve it outside of generic tips like ‘get your kit ready the night before’. It’s not that that is terrible advice but it’s not the whole story.
What if executive function is a real struggle for you? What if your energy levels are very variable day to day? What if your life is really full on and you’d rather get an extra hours sleep than get up at the break of dawn to do your interval session? Because no, we don’t all have the same 24hrs in a day, thank you very much.
And a lot of the time, when I am helping folk that struggle with consistency, knowing all these tips and tricks isn’t the issue. They already know that getting their kit out the night before is probably a good idea or that fitting in a run on your lunch break is technically possible. And maybe that ADHD planner they bought in a moment of desperation worked for a few weeks because it’s new and shiny. But eventually it fades. It usually does.
Ok, I can hear you screaming at me now; “Well come on then, what will actually work?!”
It depends. It depends on you as an individual. It depends on why you run, what you want to get out of running, how long you’ve been running, what you are training for (if anything), what your personal quirks and difficulties are. But there are a few common threads I’ve found from the hundreds of queer runners I’ve coached over the years.
First you need to start with working out what it is that you want to get out of running. Why do you run? What do you enjoy about it? What does it bring to your life? It’s important to reflect on this, it will help you to stay focussed on YOUR goals and intentions rather than what some random influencer told you. Staying committed to values and goals that belong to you, is much easier than those that someone else gave you.
Then you need to think about what is actually getting in the way. This isn’t an opportunity for you to beat yourself and just start ranting at yourself about how you just aren’t trying hard enough or you aren’t committed or you’re just lazy. This kind of nonsense isn’t going to help you move towards any solutions. So stop it. Be kind to yourself!
A lot of the time when I’m working with new clients I discover that it’s the training plan itself that is half the problem. Very often they have pulled a generic training plan from the internet or written one for themselves that doesn’t take into account your personal time/life/energy limitations. Or perhaps they aren’t following a training plan at all and going on vibes, running hard for a week and then being absolutely exhausted the next week and unable to run. You need a plan that actually fits with your life and one that builds slowly enough to allow your body to adapt. Start small. No, even smaller. Stop starting as the runner you want to be and start as the runner you ARE. You’ll last longer, I promise.
Once the plan is sorted you need to look at all the boring stuff around the running. Things like sleep, nutrition/hydration and stress management. Because being tired, under fuelled and dehydrated does not make being an adult easy, let alone being a consistent runner. You need to give yourself a fighting chance and get the basics right.
And I can hear my fellow neurodiverse friends shouting ‘That’s all well and good telling me to drink enough water but my brain doesn’t play that nice’. Yep, I hear you. And that’s where help from other humans helps. Whether that’s a coach, a friend or other running buddies, having someone nudging you repeatedly can really help. Having someone checking in; Did you run today? Did you get your kit sorted for the morning? A lot of the time you just need someone (or a group of people) in your corner, noticing your patterns, gently prompting you and expecting to hear from you.
And that’s why this blog isn’t just a list of tips, tricks or hacks on how to be a more consistent runner. You’ve probably read them all already anyway. I’m not here to sell you a shiny new planner or system that promises to fix your life. I’m not into getting your money and hearing nothing from you ever again.
I want to be honest with you and I want to support you to find a way of running that works for you and your life. That’s the whole idea behind the Autumn Accountability Club. 10 weeks of gentle and genuine accountability. A coach and a little community of people who are all on the same page and all rooting for each other! Regular check-ins, celebrating wins, workshops to help you reflect on what YOU want from running, what keeps YOU from getting there and then finding solutions that work for YOU. So when the 10 weeks is over, you’ve actually learned (and put into practice) some real things you can take beyond the club.
Consistency is a bit of a scam, at least the way it’s usually packaged up and sold to you. Consistency is not about getting your runs done no matter what. It’s not about hitting every single session perfectly 100% of the time. It’s about being flexible, staying grounded in your expectations and keeping the JOY alive.
Because isn’t that what all this running stuff is all about anyway?
And on that note: If you want to know more about the Autumn Accountability Club. It starts on 5th October. Sign ups close 30th September or 23rd September if you want the personalised training plan too. You can find out more about it here.
