Losing Your Motivation to Run?

Let’s face it. The alarm goes off at 5:30am and there are many days I don’t want to get up and run or bike. My bed is warm and the air is cold. My pillows are so comfortable and missing one work out won’t matter that much. I’m in great shape! STOP! The negative self talk is waxing away at your motivation and suddenly those fitness goals are sliding away.

It’s not hard to stay motivated during the season. There is always a 5K or sprint triathlon every weekend and they fill your calendar. Your “A” and “B” big races are in red on the schedule and that motivates you to get out of bed and even do two-a-days. But now it’s off season for triathlon, and even the fall marathon season is slipping away. The days are getting shorter and colder; and in some areas the snow has begun to fall. Even in North Texas, the mornings are dark and the winter running gear is coming out of the moth balls. Motivation is hard to come by. I’m tired and cold and my morning run has lost its appeal.

What’s an athlete to do? Well, the winter off-season is a great time to mix it up a little. Training has to change from time to time to be effective. We all get stuck in ruts, so the off-season is a great time to try out some new tools. This is the time to build some strength, allow other muscle groups to become more balances and especially allow for recovery from a hard season. It’s the time to build on the hard work of the season and prepare for even greater success in the future! Motivated yet? Me neither, but I find two great tools do help me shake the winter doldrums and get motivated to work towards the next season: goal setting and visualization.

Everyone yawns now; it’s the goal setting lecture…..Wake up! Most of us have goals in our head, but very few have written concise, realistic, timely goals for the next year. A goal not written down is a mere wish! Teaching yourself to write realistic, yet challenging personal performance-oriented goals will allow you to do the work necessary to achieve those goals, allow you to see improved performance, lead to increased confidence, and ultimately lead to greater success as an athlete.

Goal Setting 101
1. Define what you want to accomplish in 2011. It is important to begin with the end in mind. My goal for 2011 is the finish the Texas Ironman and not perish. Good goal! Time goals or a new distance should be realistic. I once had a patient that told me her goal was to finish a marathon a month in the next year. I asked how many marathons she did last year. None. Not a realistic goal!
2. Know where you are right now. How strong are you? Do you have any nagging injuries?
3. Be honest about what you need to develop. I need to get stringer on the bike. What are your weaknesses? Be objective and painfully honest with yourself. Put your ego aside. This is an important step.
4. Set sub goals and segment them. Perhaps you have a time goal, but you also probably have a weight goal, a nutrition goal and a mental goal.
5. Write performance goal for all the sub categories. Be specific and measurable. Don’t say, “I’m going to stop drinking so much beer,” a better goal is to say, “I’m only going to have one beer a night and only on days that start with S.”
6. Commit yourself completely. A goal should be something that leaves you with a burning desire to reach it! I post my goals on a sticky note on my bathroom mirror so I look at it daily. This motivates me. Have a goal card in your pocket and look at it. Keep a training log and make interim goals. This helps you stay focused.
7. Monitor your progress. Listen to your body and do not become obsessed with your goals. Your body will tell you if you need more rest! Injuries happen when we push ourselves too hard. This does not help us meet our goals.
8. Visualize yourself meeting your ultimate goal. I have watched myself cross the finish line of a full Ironman many times in my head. Close your eyes and visualize the starting line and you are feeling great and in the best shape of your life. Go through the race in your head, feeling confident and relaxed. Watch yourself finish strong and feel the rush of achieving you goal. Practice this weekly and your brain will be mentally prepared for success.

Motivation and drive come from constant focus on the destination and then seeing you move through the process to get there. Having a purpose is important or it is really hard to consistently train during the off season. Take some time and work on your goals. Visualize success, and then get out of bed!