We all have them so here’s my top 8 ways of pushing through a hard run!

1. Skip to the next song. The current one might be too slow or not inspiring enough. I find that if I’m lagging and then change my music, my pace picks back up. 
2. Think about how far you’ve come. Think back to the day that you started your journey. Think about the last time you struggled but you pushed through. Think about your first run, where you could barely run half the distance you’re running now. Just think about it, and encourage yourself positively. 
3. Focus on your breathing. In, out, in, out. Deep long breaths. 
4. Fix your posture. Shoulders back and down, straighten up your back, and don’t lean forward.
5. Relax your body. Relax your shoulders, relax your arms, wiggle your fingers, and relax your face. I tend to frown/concentrate deeply when I run, which actually is probably just giving me wrinkles!
6. Pick your feet up. Try not to drag your feet. You’re just turning them into dead weights. Pick them up, and adjust your stride if you have to.
7. Stop and stretch. Don’t stop for ages. Just a minute and roll your ankles around, stretch your calves, grab a breath. Then get started again.
8. Focus on the next few metres. Don’t think about how much further you have to run. Just focus on putting one step in front of the other, or focus on getting to the next lamp post, and then the one after that etc.