Wow it’s been a busy year! Since Wild Running was published in May we’ve had a baby, talked at Buxton Adventure Festival, appeared on ITV and in the national papers, written for running magazines and moved out of our house and into a tent. We’ve had amazing support and feedback and would like to thank everyone who’s been involved, from our publishers to those who have bought the book. A very happy 2015 all.

Every January, with the busy excesses of Christmas behind us and the lure of making the coming year our best running year yet, we love to get planning. We set goals for running and racing and devise challenges to help motivate and inspire us, both through the remaining winter months, and the whole of the year to come…

Now is a great time to get out running, whether you’ve never done it before, you’re getting back into it after some time off, or you’re a regular runner already. It’s the time to decide what you want from your running and focus on how you’re going to go about achieving it. Running is cost effective, time efficient and great for the mind and body. But, although simple, it’s not always easy and can sometimes feel like a long, hard slog. We’ve been asked on many occasions for advice on starting out and improving at running, and how to stay motivated, so we’ve put together our top five tips for running fun in January – and keeping up the enjoyment all year:

Jen Quantocks

1.  Buddy up

There’s nothing like having an appointment to keep to get you through that door. Join a club, set up your own group or simply arrange to meet a friend for a run a couple of times each week for enjoyable, sociable running. Picking a training partner who’s just a little bit better than you can also be a highly effective way to challenge yourself and see rapid improvements in your running.

Sutton Park

2.  Go Public

Make it official. Tell your partner, family and friends your running plans. Pin your training schedule to the fridge. Or join an online group such as Jantastic to keep the motivation going.

Greator small

3.  Streak!

In the run up to Christmas the success of several advent running groups proved to many runners that running every day can be a simple, yet brilliant challenge. Many runners are now chalking up impressively high running “streaks” – why not give it a go for January? Legendary marathon runner Ron Hill has run daily for the past 50 years.

Gower

4.  Enter a Race

Having a goal to work towards is great for motivation, and the feeling of satisfaction on achieving that goal is unbeatable. The phenomenon that is Parkrun is a great way to start, with free weekly 5km timed runs in parks all over the country. The atmosphere at these volunteer-run events is relaxed and supportive and they’re great for all runners, from those attempting their first race to those who aim to beat their best time every week. Alternatively, set yourself a challenge that you’re not definite you’ll be able to achieve, for example a first marathon or ultra. With a good, planned approach and plenty of time to get there you might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

Penzance to Lands End

5.  Go Wild!

Running on roads, pavements and treadmills is good for making improvements in fitness, however after a while can make each run a dreaded chore. Throw in some great routes in beautiful, wild places to bring joy to your running. Running off-road, particularly on wilder, more rugged terrain, takes a bit of practice but it’s absolutely worth it for the wonderful places it takes you. It’s also worth investing in some basic kit to keep everything safe and fun. Fell Running Guide Dave Taylor has some brilliant advice and recommendations for everything off-road running-related on his blog. Dave can also take you out on guided runs and teach you the skills you need to make fell running safe and enjoyable.

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We love finding the best and most beautiful places to run. To help inspire you to get out and get wild in 2015 we’re offering 25% of RRP with free UK P&P on books, tees and hoodies from our shop for the whole of January. Just enter code JAN15 at the checkout.