Eyes on the Prize

It’s that time of the year where we’re all working on our summer bodies and we all know there’s nothing like a bit of cardio to up your fitness levels.

With the warmer weather conditions comes a new batch of races like the Run4Cancer Marathon, Soweto Marathon, Ultra-trail Cape Town & Diepkloof Half - Marathon.

Now we all know a lot of things affect our running. Including where we focus our eyes.

Here are 5 tips on how to keep your eyes on the prize:

1. Look at something that motivates you before you start a run.
Whether it’s a picture of your body goals, a picture of the holiday you’re planning to be beach body ready for or even that medal with your name on it after you cross the finish line.

2. If you’re on a treadmill don’t watch things on a screen.
It may be your favourite movie or a cool new music video or even the news watching things while you’re on the treadmill means your focus is split and you’ll slip into auto-pilot which means you don’t get to experience all the benefits of being present in your body.

3. Keep your eyes up.
Looking straight ahead of you while you run is a lot better than looking down in front of you. It’s more effective to run with an upright, tall posture and looking down compresses this.

4. Only glance at your watch.
As tempting as it may be to keep track of your time, looking at your watch too often can make a run feel like it’s taking too long, which can lead to you becoming disheartened. It’s better to stay present in the action.

5. It’s a good idea to run with your contact lenses.
Glasses can often get in the way and it’s distracting having to adjust them every couple of steps as they slide down your nose. Contact lenses let you focus on your running and if you’re sweating a lot, soft lenses can help stop sweat running into your eyes and making them sting.

Happy training and remember, keep your eye on the prize!