How to Add Variety to Outdoor Running

Running is a great way to keep in shape, but man can it get boring. It's hard to forgo a workout that burns calories, strengthens your heart, and increases lung function all at the same time, but sometimes that morning run seems to drag on like a chapter of War and Peace. Here are a few solutions to spice up outdoor running and add variety to your workout.

Add circuit training to your run

Who says a run has to be all about "running?" One of the great things about running is that you can take advantage of the outdoors for some challenging variety. Mixing up the routine will not only ward away boredom, but help you achieve your fitness goals faster. Here are just a few ideas to try on your next run:

• pull-ups from tree branches
• hurdles over benches
• push-ups, lunges, and body squats in an open area
• dips on benches or logs
• high jumps (aim for a branch or leaf and do a couple sets of explosive jumps)
• stair running

Anything that keeps your heart rate up or incorporates some strength training will boost your workout. If there happens to be a playground on your route, they are good places to find makeshift workout equipment, like monkey bars for pull-ups and dips.

Bring your iPod, but skip the music

Music is a great motivator to push you through a workout, but sometimes that old iPod playlist just doesn't cut it. Downloading audio books to the iPod provides a fresh way to stay entertained. Sometimes I even find myself extending my run a little bit longer so I can hear the end of a chapter. Just like paperbacks, a good audiobook can be hard to "put down." Book tastes will vary, but I find that "beach read" type books, like Michael Connelly or John Grisham, are well suited for running because they absorb the reader into the story. A half hour into your book, you won't even realize you're a couple of miles from where you started.

Vary the intensity

Just because you set out on a 3 mile run doesn't mean you have to run the whole thing at the same pace. Instead, train with interval sessions by sprinting a short distance, followed by a slow jog and finally a walk. Repeat this cycle for the entire distance. Alternatively, you can time your intervals (30 second sprint, 1 minute jog, 2 minute walk.) Interval training is a terrific way to torch fat and keep your metabolism humming for hours, so don't always rely on slow and steady.

Make the run functional

This is a little tip that I find helps motivate me to get up and move on the days that I feel too busy, too tired, or too (insert excuse here.) Instead of setting aside a chunk of time for your run, make it functional by actually getting somewhere you need to be. We all have errands that need to get done, and by walking or running there, you kill two birds with one stone. I happen to live about a mile from a Walgreens, so any time I need to stop in for a few things, I jog there with my backpack, make my purchases, and jog back home. Errand? Done. Workout? Done. Dinner made? You're on your own.

Break up your runs

Dreading that morning run? Don't feel like you need to do it all at once. Try breaking it up into 2 or 3 smaller runs, spread out over the day. It's easier to push yourself out the door knowing you only have a 15 minute workout ahead of you. And if you happen to be feeling good and want to go on, by all means do so. But studies show that people who break up their workouts can attain the same benefits as if they did it all in one shot (the only exception is specific event training, such as preparing for a 10k) Plus, by shortening each workout, you will have more energy in the tank and probably end up pushing yourself even harder.

Running outdoors can certainly feel like a chore, but in the long run, your body will thank you for it. And hopefully you can incorporate some of these tips into your routine to stay motivated on your next run.

Sources: Smarten Up Cardio . shape.com