Maybe not shake it off but certainly shake it up

I don't have a major race coming up in another seven months. There's a 10k I'm running next month and probably some other smaller races throughout the summer. But as far as the race that I'm focused on the most, that won't happen till November. Since I have a bit more time before I get back into training mode I have to find ways of staying on track with running and trying to build a base. So how do I do that?

1. Throw in some curve balls for my runs. I just started doing some speed work this year. I never did any intervals or hill repeats because I was terrified. Terrified of what? Change. Once I get used to routine I tend to stick with it. This is not a good thing when it comes to running. Even though it took me a couple of weeks, I finally started to get the hang of intervals. I'm still not a big fan but they certainly help the easy runs go much faster. 
2. Ditch the watch. This was a bit difficult to do at first because I've gotten so used to wearing my watch for every single run. This past week I left my watch at home except for Saturday when I ran on the beach and Sunday for my long run. I had no idea how good it would feel to run without my watch. I even caught myself cracking a smile a couple of times.
3. Change the scenery. All my life I've lived less than thirty minutes away from a beach and I can count on one hand how many times I've actually run on the beach. Make that half of a hand. Beach for me means relaxing, not running. Plus I know how much work goes into running in the sand so I never entertained the thought. But Saturday, when my family and I were packing up the car to head to the beach, I decided to log as many miles as I could. I took it easy in the sand and kept a pace that was comfortable. Four miles later and I I figured I could make this a regular thing. Though next time I should wear a sports bra and not a bikini top. Nothing popped out but it's good to have some extra support.
4. Run with other people. I never thought I would be able to run with other people because I never thought I would want to talk for an entire run. What would I have to talk about? My thoughts are so disjointed during a run and I'm mostly thinking about frivolous stuff. Occasionally I'll get some deep thoughts but mostly it's about what I'm going to cook for dinner that night. But for my long runs I started running with a running group and let me tell you, it is so great! Turns out I can talk during a run... about anything! And even the times when I'm not running with someone and chit chatting, it's still nice to know there are other people on the course with me. Plus running with other people on my long runs has helped increase my speed. I'll be marathon ready in no time!
5. Create stories or scenarios to turn a boring route into something new. A while back, my oldest daughter asked me what are some of the things I think about during a run. Without hesitation I said, "If I could out run a mob of zombies chasing me during an apocalypse." She laughed and then stopped laughing when she realized I was serious. Being a somewhat knowledgeable person on all things zombies I know that the likelihood of out running one is next to impossible (depending on the type of zombie), but I would like to think that if given the chance I could. I've also imagined myself running in a race and being the lead runner trying to maintain first place. Both scenarios keep me going when I'm running the same route over and over again.

Within the past three to four months all of these things have helped me stay on top of running and not fall into a slump. If I want to run for the rest of my life I realize that I'm going to have to do things to keep it interesting. 

What are some things you do to change up your daily routine?