motivation

[womblejogger]

i know everyone is a little different, but after running my first half in april and feeling deflated at an organiser c*ck up that meant i couldn't do the whole distance i still feel deflated and find the motivation to get up and out the door is lacking. I had a goal something i had to aim for now i don't apart from getting fitter and losing a few pounds i don't ... is it as easy as booking my next race and aiming for that or do i need to think of something else to motivate me?

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

If it was me, that c*ck up you mentioned would be driving me out the door every time.

Motivation is fickle and as such cannot be relied upon. My motivation is around and full of beans on rest days, but deserts me around 10mins before every run.

But determination and discipline on the other hand, well they are the irresistable force and the immovable object. Set yourself a goal that you are determined to see through - a return to that HM with a point to prove would be a good one from where I'm sitting - and get yourself a nice regular training plan that you can stick to. Every run will be another run towards redemption for that HM.

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to Whatsapp]

exactly what i think i needed to hear cheers m8y, especially as i am doing that half again next year ... point to prove perhaps

[ancientrunner Half Marathon in reply to Whatsapp]

Goodness, you've summed up my motivation exactly!!

I'd book another race myself. I always slump after a race and if it hasn't gone to plan through no fault of your own must be worse.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to ancientrunner]

Yeah but it’s done. Over, finished and it can’t have any relevance going forward. Move on. Come on 💪😃🏃‍♀️👍. There is plenty to train for. Find another challenge. They are everywhere The sun’s out, it’s dry, we have hours of opportunity to get out there

Accentuate the positive! 💪🏃‍♀️👍

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

i'm back on the wagon, up and out this morning got a pb for my 5k with an aim to redo the chester half again next year along with another 3 for charity, i'm back baby and i'm raring to go

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to ancientrunner]

what didn't help was people trolling those online that got hit by the same issue i did but i have to learn to move past this and look forward to the next race in hand, motivation is getting better partly due to good weather more sleep and shifting to a morning run so i have more energy i'm getting better and that half better watch out

[ju-ju- Marathon in reply to Whatsapp]

Well said.... this is what it’s about. Running is as much training our determination and discipline to become strong and healthy. It’s tested most when everything else in life is looking bleak, yet we go on that run, or the training etc rather than giving up.

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to ju-ju-]

great words ju-ju, been at a low point for ages, life style choices could do with a shake up and as always i sabotage my best efforts, however some slight changes her and there start off small agin and i was up and out raring to go this morning, fabulous fresh sunshine morning, no music (headphones broke) but that didn't matter, pushed harder than expected and got great results, have new goals in mind for next year and i feel like i am putting my demons behind me and moving back into a decent running mindset back to where i was before the half..

[Hidden]

Whatsapp is so right, I have great motivation to plot new routes on my rest days but have a severe confidence crisis the morning of the planned run!! I have found my running hard work since my hm end of April. I am not sure if it is the heat/hayfever combo, lack of stamina/fitness or a motivation problem. Anyway, the consensus from my recent post is to get back on a training plan. So I am heading towards a hm plan for the great south run.

I think what you feel is similar to several of us, maybe post run blues. It seems we strive to be moving towards a goal so get out there and work towards that hm. This time you will get that euphoria you so deserve.

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

couldn't have put it better myself, back on the wagon, seeing improvement in my motivation, shifting it to a morning run has made such a massive difference that half will not know what has hit it next year

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

I agree with the idea of a new training plan - I was never more disciplined than when I was training for my HM. It mattered so much to me that I stopped any faffing and just headed out the door to make sure I put in the miles to get me to the start line. Good luck.🙂

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

thx m8y couldn't stick to a "training" plan, as such and made my own up for the half i did, looking back at my training logs on strava i didn't run half as much as i should have, but moving forward and shifting my runs to the morning is helping so much, allows me to do other things in the evening which i couldn't do before on my running days

[C3PO Marathon]

That's why I always have a new race to train for - so I don't slack off too much.

It's naturally to be tired mentally and physically after training for a big race, and it definitely affects your running mojo. Lots of my fellow London Marathon runners have had lots of trouble with the same thing since the race. My heel injury did some of that for me as well. But knowing I have other races to train for always gets me out there.

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to C3PO]

training started up again, aiming to do the chester, swansea, cardiff and one other half next year for charity again so i better get my arse back into gear lol yes having that goal to aim for again is driving me to make the changes i need

[misswobble Marathon]

Me too. Mind you I’d still be out there if I hadn’t 🙂

[Decker Ultramarathon]

The fact that the screwup was not your fault would make me want to do another race for a fair shake at completion. It would make me crazy not to know 🙂 Go for it. Tons of races with your name on them!

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

mojo returning, races being booked , chester half rematch training in progress, watch this space

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to womblejogger]

Nice! Good luck!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

If you want to run a race, then book one and that will be your motivation. It's a great way of giving people an incentive to train, certainly has worked for me.

However I do also think this is a rather short-termist strategy. Why not look back at your original motivation for running? I'd bet it was something to do with getting fit and feeling good! That seems like worthwhile motivation to me

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

you are right there, running long distance was never my original intention or motivation to run, it was a necessary lifestyle choice to get fitter, having a goal helps to get me out the door when i occasionally don't want to, however having made some small changes recently i'm back on track, feeling great (not looking it lol) and starting to look at races for later this year and for next year also

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to womblejogger]

That's great!

[mrrun Ultramarathon]

It's about getting fit and keeping fit. A single program or event are just phases in that process. Getting unfit again after all that work would be my ultimate nightmare, hell no.... Putting the running shoes on is one of the highlights of my day, regardless of whatever may be outside. Going back instead because motivation is missing? Where exactly?

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

no way am i going back, you can't make me noooooooooooo .... yep looking at the previous post "events" were never my original intention of starting to jog/run but getting fit and healthy was ... the highlight of each day since starting back is getting out in the early morning fresh air before the sun makes the day to hot and just enjoying each run, yes i check the stats when i get back but i am not overly too bothered if i feel the run was great it was if it wasn't i know how to improve my next one, here's to looking forward

[ju-ju- Marathon]

We are all different, but I think the one consistent thing with all of us runners is having a plan. That might be to run 3 times a week, 20 miles a week, find new places to explore, focus on training for a race etc etc. Decide what you want to achieve and make a plan, then follow it.... simples 😎 we are here to support you.

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to ju-ju-]

thx ju-ju, having a structure certainly helps, and moving my runs to an early morning session is certainly helping, i now know what i have to do to allow my body to get up at stupid o clock next will come the consistency of the runs at least 3 a week then to get better at it

[Irish-John Marathon]

It's damn hard sometimes when our Lizard brain says "Don't run!" and then our flip flopping higher brain sends us in a tizzy about "Should I/shouldn't I"

Only solution is to just say "Feck both of you - at least maybe it will make both of you be quite for a while!"

And let Body go out the door and run for however long you fancy

Settled.Done with. No more thinking about it.

Wishing you many happy miles in your future ☺

[womblejogger Half Marathon in reply to Irish-John]

have you read the chimp paradox, yes i have a horrible chimp brain called rufus who i listen to far too often, however i think once i get back into a proper 3 day a week routine i can get back on track, consistency is a problem looking back at my training runs, once i can get this under control which should be too long i think everything else will click back into place

[Irish-John Marathon in reply to womblejogger]

Have not read the book but checking the reviews just now it seems to be basically the same theory - survival brain part at war with Higher functioning brain part and our concious brain trying to cope with both

Still does not make it easy to get out of a warm bed on a winter morning unfortunately

[womblejogger Half Marathon]

Thanks everyone for the brilliant constructive comments, I believe i am back on track and moving forward, once i have got my running consistency back on track i think everything will start to fall back into place. I know shifting to an early morning run has helped so much as it is allowing me to do other things in the evening it's like having my cake and eating it, hang on as a runner am i allowed cake??

i have the chester half rematch next year along with at least 3 others i am aiming for but as people have said what was my original intention, this was and is to get fit to get healthy and to improve my life with my family, everything else is a bonus, thanks again every one the support from this forum is as always amazing

steve aka the womble jogger