The secret to running is to forget you’re running. When you’re out there pounding the pavement, you’ve got to be prepared to trick yourself into staying motivated (like with these mental running hacks). Runners of all skill levels can benefit from gamifying their workout, and TikTok’s “run until” challenge is a great way to turn a run-of-the-mill jog into a heart-pumping game of “I Spy.” Here’s how the “run until” game works, and why you should give it a shot the next time you’re dreading your run.
How to play the “run until” game
“Run until you see a car being towed.” This comment led to the run in this TikTok, in which @yaboyruns ended up completing the challenge for a 4.4 mile workout.
The “run until” game is simple. You choose a sight, and then you run until you see it. Of course, for viral TikToks, part of the fun is that the runners have no clue how far they may go—but don’t let that scare you. As a slow runner, I assure you the game can be much more attainable.
For instance, I usually don’t employ the “run until” game before my run, but near the end of it. This way, I push myself to go slightly farther than I might have otherwise gone. Whenever I feel close to calling it quits, I change the terms of my workout to be a “run until” game. Some of the rules I’ve used in the past few weeks are to run until:
The jogger in the yellow shirt finally passes me.
I see someone holding an iced drink.
I pass a barber shop.
Those pigeons scatter.
I hear a car blasting music.
Another beauty of this game is that it forces you to free yourself from the numbers game of running. Rather than getting stressed over minutes and miles, you can slow down and appreciate your surroundings.
The takeaway
Tree, road sign, friendly face—whatever checkpoint you decide, commit to run to that point. Once you reach that landmark, you can allow yourself to stop running. You might be surprised how often you find yourself running past one checkpoint to create the next. Sometimes, the “run until” game is only the difference between running three miles and running three and a half miles—but to me, that half mile matters.
If you’re not ready for the “run until” game, here are some more little hacks to distract yourself from the numbers game:
Run with friends.
Swap music for podcasts, or listen to a new album.
Replay the last argument you had in your head until you win.
Recite all the U.S. presidents, Spanish verb conjugations, or some kind of sports stats.
Explore a new running route.
Whatever mental game you play, the running philosophy is the same: Take it slow, let your mind wander, and maybe you’ll even start to like running.