Jo Whiley says her first run this year was 'hard' - here's her hack for making it feel easier

It's dark, gloomy, and the weather app is saying to expect rain for the next week. Even if you've been working out for years and are a dedicated 10,000 stepper, runner, or gym goer, it can be hard to find the exercise motivation in January.

Someone who knows this all too well is Jo Whiley. The 60-year-old presenter and DJ is no stranger to a challenge, having taken on three triathlons last year in aid of Sport Relief. She's also no stranger to running, either, as one of the voices on the NHS Couch to 5km app. So, if she's having a tough time, you know it's bleak out there.

Jo took to Instagram to share that she was finding it difficult to get up and go this month, revealing that today's workout was the first run she'd done in a "really long time".

"Oh my god, that was really hard," she told followers on Instagram this morning. Later on in the video, she says: "I didn't check the weather yesterday when I promised I'd go for a run this morning. It's rained the whole way round. It's really bleak. Grey skies, it's awful."

Her trick to finding the motivation to head out the door? A commitment.

"The reason I'm doing it is that I'm signed up to the London Landmarks Half Marathon. I've discovered the only way I ever run is if I sign up for an event. I have to have the motivation. I have to have the commitment. Otherwise, I just won't do it. I make excuses all the time," she says.

"The run is in April, I'm doing it with Cass, my son, and a couple of other people, and today was the first run," she says.

Jo's plan for the half-marathon distance will help her build up from her current level of fitness to confidently run 21.1 km (13.1 miles) in a few months. She may run three to four times a week, and these runs will be made up of easy workouts, interval sessions, and longer runs. She may also do some strength training for runners alongside this.

Given recent data, Jo will likely be one of thousands of women over 50 crossing the start line. The number of women in this age group finishing the London Marathon has increased by 65% since 2018. There's been a 91% increase in the number of female runners over 60 entering the race as well.

That's not to say that anyone just gets off the sofa one day and finds running easy. Even those who've been running for years find it difficult.

In this workout, Jo reveals that she walked and ran some of her 5km route, a technique that's sometimes known as Jeffing. It's designed to build fitness and make running feel easier. "I've walked, just so you know. I've walked quite a few times on the run. It's 5km, I've done it. I've run some, I've walked some. The first one is done, so onwards."

If you're new to running and looking to stay motivated, signing up for a race can be a good incentive. Even more so if you do it with a friend or family member. You can download one of the best running apps to find a plan that suits your lifestyle, and organisations like RunThrough have events most weekends around the country, ranging from 5km to a marathon in distance.