Be patient with me while I lead off a running post with a reference to cycling; the great cyclist Eddy Merckx once said “Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” I think it applies to running, hiking, or even reading and it is sound advice to encourage the act of just getting started. When the days are short, work has been long, or the mercury is on either extreme of the thermometer it’s what got me out for “just 30 min” or “just 1 mile.” Often it turned out longer once the body and mind warmed up. Considering the additional hurdles of pandemic protocol, I thought it would be a good time to talk about some road blocks I’ve experienced, and how I’ve dealt with them to keep running.                 Temperature Extremes:      I’d like to think I have some good experience here, as I recently moved from Chandler, Arizona to Salt Lake City, Utah. Last summer I had to deal with 30+ days over 111 (and a few at 117) and now I’m finding motivation to get out and run in the snow. My best advice here is get the right gear. While warm temps meant early/late runs with a headlamp, my new running essentials are a wool beanie and light gloves. There are some great articles on proper gear on our expert advice road running page                   Pandemic-related measures:      Many of us love a long solo workout to do some soul search or just recharge our “extrovert batteries.” Unfortunately, a year’s worth of solo workouts can leave us yearning for a weekly group run meetup at the local coffee shop. While we can’t all pile into the same car and head to a race, we can utilize virtual programs. My friends and I have created Strava groups to track weekly miles, elevation gain, and foster some friendly competition to keep each other motived. Many virtual platforms also have virtual race and challenge options, which can be a great replacement with the current lack of in-person events.                 Partner/Spouse interest:                 My wife and I met cycling. She grew up in her parent’s local bike shops, often heading over straight from school every day. She is the only person I know who put in more miles than I did when we met. Needless to say, she’s not a runner. If we both have a day off and she wants to ride and I want to run, we pick an out-and-back or circular course where I can run laps while she rides. This allows us to see each other intermittently and to spend time together on the drive.                 Burnout:      Variation is the name of the game. If you’re a dedicated road runner, try trail running. If you run long distance, find an outdoor track and add some interval/speed work to your running week. Even a change of scenery can help, I’ve definitely made a conscious effort to seek out new trails or neighborhoods to run just to have new views when I feel motivation lagging. During a particularly bad burnout, I even mixed in hiking with a weighted pack one day per week. We have some great running cross-training articles on our expert advice page.      Well, that’s what I’ve got. I’d love to hear anyone else’s tricks and tips to maintain motivation in difficult and uncertain times. We go further together as a community, so let’s share our best ways to start running! ... View more