Found: Your Training Motivation! Get Ready for the San Francisco Marathon with Coach K.

Ah, that “New Year, New You” fervor! With January behind us, gyms are a little emptier, days are a little longer, and you’re that much closer to your goal race. But struggles with training motivation creep in for us all. Who hasn’t scrolled through posts of friends out hitting the trails at 7 AM on a cold Sunday and thought, what do they have that I don’t?

Written by Coach Karen Peterson (coachkaren1964(AT)gmail.com)
Edited by Pavlína Marek

I have never identified myself as a morning person. However, careful observers will note that if I have a plan to meet friends, or if I’m participating in or volunteering at a race, I have no problem getting up at o-dark-thirty. This is where your RUN365 community can come in! 

The rush of adrenaline that we get when we sign up for a race—and a training program—feels great in the moment, but our bodies and brains naturally lose that spark when confronted with the day-in/day-out realities of training. All the messages we’re surrounded with that tell us to eat better, sleep more, cross-train, get our long runs in, etc. can feel overwhelming, too. Without the right training motivation, it can be all too easy to get off track. 

Worry not; Coach K is here with some ways to stay motivated!

Have a posse!

There is nothing like the accountability of knowing you have friends to run with! The early-morning runs are easier to get to when there’s someone to share the miles with. The possible morning misery can disappear altogether with that hello-hug. The cloudy sky and heavy rain aren’t as intimidating when there’s someone to brave the elements with. If you haven’t met your people yet, RUN365 has helped many runners forge lifelong friendships. Why not give it a try?

Read race reports.

Not all training motivation comes from within; reading race reports is a great way to get excited for a race as well as a training run! Reading through race reports also helps you learn from someone else’s experiences and be better prepared for what might be awaiting you. Check this one out!

Familiarize yourself with the course!

The SF Marathon website has a VERY cool feature for you to preview what you’ll encounter on race day. Even if you are a Bay Area, or even San Francisco, resident, you’ll be seeing the city through a whole different lens. Do you like to be surprised during race day? You can preview only a few miles to get a general idea of the course and leave the rest to the race day!

Miss a day?

Don’t fret. It happens to EVERYONE. If you miss a week or more of training, reach out to your coaches for advice. Here’s more information to help you understand. 

Don’t compare yourself to others.

I love Carrie Cheadle’s perspectives on this—not just for training, but for all the things in life!

Stick around—we’re here to help you maintain your motivation until race day! Please reach out to coachkaren1964(AT)gmail.com if you’d like personalized help, or just use the “Ask a Coach” in the RUN365 app. We’re here for you and can’t wait to see what you do in the coming months!