I need motivation tips (Read 1022 times)

Hi, All I am new here and pretty new to running. I started running a year ago and while I am sticking to it I find it hard to motivate myself. I love the feeling I have after long stronous runs but does that make me want to roll out of bed and go running. BIG NO. Then during the day it gets too hot (good California excuse) and then when evening comes it is just too dark... so every day it is a battle. Sometimes running wins and again I feel great till the next day... Help. SKB

I find that I can rarely run at night because I'm too tired and hungry after work to put off dinner, so for me it has to be in the a.m. Alas, I don't have the answers, but here's something that works for me (sometimes) to get out of bed in the morning and go running: As I lie there in bed, I tell myself that I should just go for a couple miles and then I can get back in bed for a few minutes when I get back. Invariably, once I'm dressed, fed, and out there running I feel pretty good and awake and I end up doing the full amount on my running plan. Occasionally, however, I really do only go a couple miles, though, and I figure if I feel that lousy on those days then it's probably better not to push it anyways.

Nope, but I am hoping to do a marathon in May. I like big goals and I am hoping this one will motivatie me but I realize that it is months away. SKB

Or come to West MI and do the largest 25k in the US with backroadrunner and me in mid May. k

During the summer I would average 30-40 miles a week then I had to focus on some family problems so i could not run that much. Now I am back steadily increasing my milage, doing about 25 miles/wk. I realize marathon is a very lofty goal but this is the only thing that seems to spark my enthusiasm. Maybe I am fooling myself thinkng I can do it without any other racing experience but I am hoping I can do it. SKB

Find a running buddy! I don't have much advice to offer, since I only started running on september 1st. When I came home from my third or fourth run, my hubby told me he found me a running partner. A friend of mine called when I was gone, and when he told her I was running, she was very eager to join me. She has been trying to run very often, but never found the courage to go on. Until now, she only missed a few runs, and part of her motivation is the fact that, when she misses a run, I have to run in the dark alone.... I haven't missed a run yet, and I decided that even when I don't feel like I want to run, I just put on my running clothes and go towards the canal where I am often running (that involves a 5 min. brisk walk). When I arrive there, and still don't want to run, I give myself the permission to go back home...

I will go with the combination of having a goal race to prepare for, and having some sort of plan to follow to prepare for the race. That's what I did for Baltimore. Trust me, I know how hard it can be to roll out of bed to get a 10 mile run in on a week day. Sometimes, it downright sucks. But, as soon as I was out the door and moving, I always felt so much better, and really glad I managed to get moving.

What strangely helped me was making my training logs public - if I don't work out everyone can SEE I didn't go work out!

Of course, you know, this made me just HAVE to go and take a look at your log... Looks like you've got a lot of variety going on there. Looks good. And wow... can I count a 1 hr massage as a workout too? Sounds nice...