How to Get Motivated
Recently someone asked me how to regain their motivation to train since all their races had been cancelled. The question caught me off guard and I didn’t give the best answer. So with further reflection I decided to write about this today!
Cancelled Races Hurt
Training for a race is a clear goal that gives purpose to each workout and training run. When we take that goal away it leaves a sense of emptiness. Even knowing in our head that training still worthwhile without races, we’ve lost the sense of urgency. We feel that skipping a run here or there won’t affect anything, and that’s the start of a slippery slope.
I generally emphasize discipline over motivation, because discipline is reliable and motivation is not. However - motivation is the spark that lights the fire! Though we can’t rely on feeling motivated day in and day out, we won’t get very far with zero excitement or ambition.
Goals light up our lives
The best way to bring back motivation is to set a new goal. It doesn’t have to be a race, there are other goals, even goals that don’t even involve running! When we decide to work toward something specific we usher back our motivation.
When a runner comes to me with a new goal - whether they've set their sights on a new PR, want to try a new race distance, or have signed up for a virtual challenge - we immediately have a new sense of purpose. It’s exciting! Regardless of what the goal is, our focus in training (mine: in planning the training and theirs: in executing the plan) is instantly dialed up.
A Plan
It’s a tall order to muster up the motivation for a workout when you don’t even know what the workout is! When the plan is on paper and there’s no thinking involved it can make a huge difference in our motivation to lace up our running shoes. Completing the planned workout or run gives us a good sense of accomplishment too.
Download a free training plan online (ideally a new one that you haven’t tried before!) or work with a coach to map out the weeks and months ahead.
You can even design your own training plan! Sit down and commit the mental energy to making a schedule that suits your lifestyle and interests well. Having done this work in advance will help with motivation day-to-day.
Community & Accountability
Another thing that seriously helps motivation is the accountability and encouragement of a community. Imagine being connected with other runners who were all following the same plan together, doing the same workouts. Knowing others are out there doing the workouts is great motivation, especially when they’re waiting for you to report back on how your own workout went!
Not inspired to lace ‘em up?
Join a community of runners for accountability, encouragement & motivation.
That is the experience in Virtual Training Groups. There’s a training plan with new workouts every week. Runners all do the same effort-based workouts and learn foundational training concepts through the workouts, and encouraging each other throughout the week in an online chat. Your virtual teammates are doing the same training, sharing their experiences, and are waiting to hear how your workout went. What is better motivation than that?
Consider signing up for the upcoming 6-week training group starting on September 14th!
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.