Motivation

Motivation… we all struggle to find it, loose it from time to time and are constantly looking for ways, places and things to fill our motivation tank.

Quotes, photos, stories, blogs, registering for races, buying new gear, talking to other runners, having a great run, PRing at a race, and plethora of other things all help.  Together and alone they make up a lot of what keeps most of us ticking but what do you do and where do you turn when your finding motivation tricks no longer work, when you lose the drive and cant seem to get out of a rut?

I try to keep things fresh, especially when I notice I am slipping into a rut.  I’ll try something new, remind myself of the good, the happy, the awesome runs, the fabulous races, the race bling, the laughs, the post run celebrations and I tell myself  that “life goes on” and “you can’t have the rainbow without the rain”. Everyone has bad days, bad runs and rough times and its coming out of them that makes us stronger.

Many things have helped me find motivation and get back on track, these are my top 3:

1. Switching up my runs-  I find a new route, run at a different time of day, run with a local running club or group (local stores usually have info on these) hit the trails and it drag a friend out with me. A change of scenery can go a long way.

2. Registering for a race – preferably a goal race, one I really want to want to finish strong, one I’m seeking a PR in,  one with a medal I’ve been  lusting after, one I want and know I can dominate. I find that committing to race gives me a boost and makes it easier to get out there and train.

3. Buying new gear – It isn’t always 100% necessary yet a new shirt, pair of sneakers, socks, hydration bottle or even chews/gu always gets me out the door, after all I have to test it out!

What keeps you motivated?