No matter how much you love running, there’s no denying it can be painful at times. We’re not talking about the searing pain that comes from an injury – that’s the kind of pain you shouldn’t ignore – but the burning lungs and aching quads that come from really pushing yourself.

Sometimes, that urge to push yourself comes easy. Maybe you’ve given yourself more time to recover than usual or are simply feeling motivated to see how fast you can go. But then there are times when forcing yourself to do anything above a mediocre jog feels like a personal attack.

So what’s the secret to pushing yourself when you don’t really fancy it? And what does it really mean to ‘push yourself’ anyway?

To find out more, we asked Natalie Hope, a fitness coach for the audio-led fitness app WithU, and Sean Johnson, regional fitness manager at Orangetheory, for their insight. Here’s what they had to say.

It’s worth noting that you don’t need to (and shouldn’t) push yourself every time you go out for a run. In fact, coaches typically recommend 60-70% of your cardio training should be done in ‘zone two’, where you work at 65-70% of your maximum heart rate (somewhere around 120-140bpm).

Running slowly can also make your heart stronger and build endurance without putting extra stress on your muscles and joints, making it an important part of any training regimen.  

However, when it does come to pushing yourself, how often you do so (and for how long) depends on your level of fitness and experience.

“The more athletic and experienced you are, the more often you can probably get away with pushing it,” Johnson explains. “On the contrary, if you are a novice to running you should take it easy more often.”

He continues: “Identify your goal to maximise results. If you have a goal such as a marathon, you should start training months and months before the event so you can gradually increase your intensity. Most injuries come from doing too much too soon after doing too little for too long.”

It’s also worth keeping in mind that pushing yourself can come in two different forms – intensity and duration. To avoid injury, you’ll want to avoid combining the two. For example, you might run fast and hard for a short distance or slower over a longer distance.

We all know what it’s like to be tired and out of breath, but how can you tell when you’re pushing yourself in a beneficial way? According to Hope, it’s all about how it feels.

“Pushing hard should feel challenging,” she explains. “When you push you will notice your heart rate increase, your breathing become faster and deeper and a sense of fatigue begin to build in your muscles.”

That doesn’t mean, however, that you should be at a point where you feel like you can’t continue. In fact, Johnson warns against reaching a point where you feel like you’ve given everything.

“Stop the run when you want to and not when you have to,” he says. “If you have to stop the run because of fatigue or pain you have probably overdone it. You want to end the run feeling that you could have given a little more.”

Sensation wise, there a couple of key signs to keep an eye out for, he adds. “Pushing yourself hard will feel uncomfortable. This is where you will perspire, feel breathless and experience fatigue from lactic acid build up. If you feel like you are emptying the tank too often just dial it back a notch – always listen to your body.” 

Pushing yourself may be hard work, but it’s well worth it. Indeed, as Hope points out, pushing yourself every so often can lead to increased cardiovascular fitness, improved endurance and increased mental resilience.

Johnson adds that this form of work can also lower your resting heart rate (a key marker of overall fitness), increase oxygen uptake in the body and increase levels of confidence and self-efficacy. 

While the benefits of pushing yourself from time to time are clear, finding the mental strength and motivation to push the limits can be tricky. So what’s the secret to getting there?

Set goals

One of the best ways to increase your motivation levels is to set yourself bitesize, achievable goals to chase after. That way, you’ll have something to focus on when you’re in the middle of that intense work.

Hope recommends setting SMART goals: goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound – to help yourself find your purpose.

Track your progress

After you set your goals, make sure to keep tracking your progress. Not only will this give you insight into the kind of workouts you need to be doing, but it’ll also keep you motivated to continue.

“No matter how small, keep note of any progress you make,” Johnson says. “Small changes over time can really show you how far you have come and may give you that boost in mental and physical strength you need.”

Focus on your breath

When you push yourself, chances are you’ll end up pretty out of breath. But allowing yourself to get to a point where you’re gasping for breath at irregular intervals isn’t going to make things easier.

Instead, Hope recommends keeping your mind focused on your breath. Not only will this stop you from getting into a negative headspace (something that’s easy to do when you’re pushing yourself) but will also put you in a better position to perform.

“Regulating your breath can help regulate your effort and keep you calm,” Hope adds.

Focusing on nasal breathing (where possible) is a good place to start, as well as trying to take deep, concentrated breaths as opposed to shallow gasps.  

Images: Getty