Motivation – Run Or Don’t, There Is No Try

Motivation. It’s tricky, right?

There are days when I can’t wait to get out of bed and (literally) hit the ground running. I put on my running gear and as soon as I get out the door I start running.

On other days that motivation is a hard thing to come by (these types of days are much more common). I need to convince myself to run. I drag my ass out of bed, putz around looking for weather-appropriate gear, check Facebook, go to the bathroom, send a Tweet about my lack of motivation, kiss my wife and son while they’re still sleeping, tie my shoes, check Facebook again, look to see if anyone responded to my Tweet; then and only then do I walk out the door.

I walk two blocks before I start even thinking about running. My excuse is that I’m waiting for the Garmin to sync. In truth, this is just another stalling technique.

These are the days that I need to really dig deep. I don’t have a scientific explanation for where my motivation comes from, it’s different for everyone. But what we do have in common is that, as runners, we’re able to find it.

Finding Motivation

It’s always there somewhere. Some days it’s just less obvious, but I know if I look long and hard enough, I’ll find it.

What motivates me is different on any given day.

Here are just a few of the things that go through my head on good (and bad) days:

• That third or fourth mile, the one where the endorphins start kicking in? That mile where I feel like I may be the fastest person in Central Park (which in reality I am the furthest thing from)? I want to bottle and sell that drug. I know that feeling will come.
• The feeling of accomplishment I’ll have when the run is over. When I can look down at my Garmin and tick off another XX (or just X) miles in my grand total.
• The next race I’m signed up for. Be it a marathon, a 13.1, a 10K. How am I going to feel if I haven’t run consistently before that race? Will I beat my friend’s time? Will I beat my goal time?

In the back of my mind, I think about the advice I heard when I first started running. I don’t remember who said it, but I was told never to take more than one day off or you start to lose fitness. On the second day, do anything you can to get out the door, even if it’s just a mile.

But motivation can also come in the form of new gear.

Motivation Found

GORE-TEX wants to help you find the motivation that may be stuck deep down somewhere.

They’ve launched #owntherun, a social contest (until 11/8) that invites us to overcome our excuses in the spirit of progress.

Enter the contest here or here by answering the question: What will you conquer to #owntherun? Is it lack of motivation? Is being consistent in training? Is it a search for the endorphin high? It’s different for everyone and they want to hear what does it from you.

There will be weekly giveaways of the latest running shoes with GORE-TEX liners:

• Brooks Ghost 9 GTX
• ASICS Cumulus 18 GTX
• Saucony Ride 9 GTX

And one grand prize of head-to-toe running gear including new shoes, running shorts, running pants, jackets, headphones, a watch and more!

There you have it, a quick note to let you know that GORE-TEX sponsored this post, but opinions are my own.

So I ask you, what is your motivation and where does it come from?