Many of my non-running friends and family always ask me how I got in to running. I have always responded with I fell in love with the environment. Getting in to that environment always starts with a goal and a desire to accomplish that goal. You have control of pursuing that goal, but you would be surprised that it is actually easy to keep at pursuing that goal without being miserable pursuing it on your own. Below, I share with you five ways that helped me get in to it and stay into it for over a decade.

1. Find a local running club to run with: Local running clubs have a different range of abilities from beginner to amateur. I have found groups off social media sites, such as Facebook; Meetup; and Strava. Running clubs give you the chance to mingle with others that have similar abilities and build relationships within the club. Once you build relationships it will give you something to look forward to and will keep you coming back for more. You might also be surprised that some of the runners might have other things in common with you or even live in your neighborhood.

2. Surround yourself with things that involve it: Keeping things that involve running in your life will always keep you fueled to do it. Magazines such as Runners World and Runners Times have stories inside that will inspire you to keep at it, because you would be surprised at some of the friction that many encounter and how running helps them cope through these obstacles. Volunteering at a local race is another way to fuel you to keep at it, because it keeps you in that environment, which will result in you feeding off that good adrenaline from other runners.

3. Share your workouts and pictures on social media: Getting social media involved is another way because it shows others that you are training for something, and it gets others involved and gives them something to talk about on your social media page, or when they see you in person. Either this could motivate someone to pursue a fitness lifestyle or it could annoy them, but either way it gives others a way to see how your training is going, or to see your fitness progression.

4. Always have goals: A goal is the overall reason why you do it, such as to maintain your weight; beat cancer or run your first 5k. Without a goal it just turns into procrastination and eventually fades away to nothing. Your goals must mean more than just looking good for summer, or to fit into an outfit. Sorry to burst your bubble, but outfits do not last forever, as well as summer, so why think temporary? Think big, such as your overall health and happiness that you can gain from running.

5. Sign up for a race: Signing up for a race will give you a reason to train whether that race is your first 5k or beyond. It is a commitment tester because if you do not train then it is pretty much a waste of money or time.

The takeaway is to always have goals and to keep people around you that support it or somewhat support it. Being around people that do not support it will result in negative energy because they hate it, which will eventually rub off on you.