I immediately got hit with this:
It's been a progressively bigger and bigger struggle for me to stay motivated with running these days. Right now it feels more burdensome than fun to train or run races.
Common thoughts for me these days:
I have to get up at WHAT HOUR in the morning?!?!?
I have to do HOW LONG of a long run?!?!?
I have to go WHERE to pick up my race packet?!?!?
I have watched other folks make huge improvement strides in short periods of time. However, my own training has plateaued and it feels really frustrating.
I'm not going to make excuses for my lack of improvement because it's my own doing (or lack thereof). My training efforts have not been consistent by any stretch of the imagination. The problem is that it tends to be a vicious cycle for me. When I don't see results, I lose motivation - and the more I unmotivated I become, the harder it is for me to work on creating results.
I've tried mixing things up a bit overall in an attempt to keep things interesting. I have added Wisconsin and Michigan to the list of states that I've raced in and I've tried a trail race. Off the running path, I've taken a trapeze lesson and tried stand-up paddleboarding.
All of those things were fun. But they haven't snapped me out of my motivational funk.
It doesn't help right now that Chicago has just gotten hit with a dangerous heatwave that is supposed to last this entire week. Gotta love the timing for the 5K I'm running tonight, the 10K on Thursday night, and the half marathon this Sunday. Race-time temps for both tonight and Thursday night are forecasted to be in the upper 80s/low 90s! Talk about deflating.
I think I am looking for something new into which to channel my fitness energy and focus - but I don't know what that could be. It seems like a lot of runners go the duathlon or triathlon route, but that doesn't sound hugely appealing to me right now. I'm only moderately into group fitness classes and I consider yoga/pilates to be "side" courses. What else is out there? Intramural sports for uber-beginners? Curling 101? Trampoline tumbling?
Basically I really need something like this:
If anyone sees one of these out on the marketplace, please let me know.
ick...the heat ALWAYS does this to me. I hope things bounce back for you soon. And I heard it's supposed to cool off a bit this weekend - fingers crossed!
ReplyDelete(no Hawks shirts left - boo :( )
Thanks, Bobbi! This heat is really something else. It's already making me look forward to the start of fall (and the start of next year's hockey season! =D ) Fingers crossed also that the forecasters will be correct on the cool-off this weekend! Are you racing this weekend, too?
DeleteThat is a HUGE BUMMER that there are no Hawks shirts left. BOOOOOO!!!!! =(
Do you read Sara's (Gingerfoxxx's blog)?! Maybe something like the cool roller derby thing she is doing. Or! Maybe you just need a dang break. Give yourself one.
ReplyDelete(My other suggestion is strength training with a group :))
Please stay safe during your races this week! :) And I hope you have fun!
Thanks, Kim! I do read Gingerfoxxx's blog and her roller derby sounds awesome! Sadly I don't have those kinds of skills, LOL. No better time than the present to try to learn something new, though, right?
DeleteOh yeah, I still really want to come out and try your class. =) Please do let me know when/if you ever teach on the weekends and I'm so there!!! (I wish you taught classes in the city!!!)
Thanks! I do plan to offer a one-time Saturday class in the fall, when my schedule (and everyone else's!) is less nutso. It is a bummer that my (our) friends are so spread out!
DeleteIt really is a bummer that all of our friends are so spread out. Isn't it crazy that just between the far north and far south suburbs, we are talking 2+ hours in potential driving distance!!!
DeleteJust a one-time deal!?!?!? No planned recurrences!?!?!? =(
Yeah! It's cool to live in such a big metro area, but that is a downfall!
DeleteI can make it recurring if people want to come back! The studio is really close to Metra ;)
I was talking to Erin about it last night and she said it was close to the Grayslake Metra. I used to commute out of that station!!! So I am pretty familiar with the area. Definitely let us all know when the class takes place, I can't wait to check it out!!!
DeleteThe hot/humid weather is a de-motivator for me. Can't wait for the fall! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteUgh... as much as I do love summer, the challenging running weather is pretty much the only reason that I look forward to the end of summer! Good luck to you to - how is your ankle holding up these days? Will you be doing RnR Chicago this weekend?
DeleteI feel the same way lately. I just need something else...
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your bike training has been going well, though! You must be getting very excited for Venus de Miles! And I will see you at Esprit de She tomorrow!!!
DeleteThat was definitely me at the end of 2011. Which is why, combined with my injury, I hardly ran at all and got way more into strength training and then riding my bike. I got my motivation for running back by the end of summer but that was like 9 months later. And now my running motivation is lacking again. So, yes, it comes and goes in waves for me. But finding something else I love to do (such as trapeze) has been a big help. Maybe you need to take dance classes or something? There are so many options in the city!
ReplyDeleteYou've become the trapeze queen! I am so happy that you've found such a fantastic new fitness pursuit (and trapeze is quite an upper body workout, so what a great way to balance out all the running and biking!) I am excited for our CrossTown Fitness class next week. We can explore more nonrunning fitness options together. =D
DeleteIt seems like variety may help if it's more than a one-time, special thing. SUP, for example, was a ton of fun, but maybe it'd be more helpful to find an activity that you can do on a regular basis. Like a recreational league of some sort?
ReplyDeleteI know that the weather is making me not very motivated to run, so I'm picking classes (which are air conditioned!) and bike rides instead. The forecast for Sunday is in the 70's for now, so hopefully it's not so beastly hot for R&R!
SUP was a ton of fun, but you are right that the one-time class doesn't have much staying power. Wonder if SUP has some kind of rec league, LOL. They said they do SUP races so maybe once I can stand on the board without wobbling I could someday consider that.
DeleteAhhh, air conditioning - one of the greatest inventions known to human kind! Thank goodness for indoor workout facilities on these horrifically muggy days. And yes, the weekend forecast for RnR is actually looking awesome. It's going to feel like heaven after this week! I am so hoping for a better half marathon performance this weekend than my last one!!!
They do have ladies night social paddles every night, but no leagues that I know of so to speak. Would you ever do something like kickball or volleyball?
DeleteLadies social paddles, eh? Lauren from www.laurenruns.com had mentioned wanting to try SUP, and it sounds like several if not all of us from the first lesson would be up for going again! We should look into one of those ladies nights as a group!
DeleteIt might be fun to join an intramural sports league - the caveat being that I'm a total beginner when it comes to most sports. So it would have to be a league where people are truly there just to have fun and not to compete. Don't know how many of those are out there?!?!?
Emily, I appreciate that you are willing to put it all out there. I've had my time's like this. No other sport (or combination of sports) motivates me like running does. None of them fill me up or gratify me or get me to that zen place. When I feel "out of love" with running (sometimes for long periods of time), I'm tempted to take a break but I also have a fear that I'll lose all that I've gained. That a week or two or more of not running will make me not a runner and none of my pants will fit and I'll never get back into it. Of course, that's never happened. And I usually bounce back from a break feeling better than ever.
ReplyDeleteI'd also suggest a new goal. (When I ran the New Years Double, that was hugely invigorating for my running life!) If you do some googling and ask around and nothing appeals, def take a break.
Amy - thank you so much for your true understanding. You hit the nail on the head with regards to the fear of losing all of the running fitness that we've worked so hard for if we take a break. On Jeff Galloway's website, he posted that your running fitness starts to decline like 25% after 5 days of not working out at all (other exercises like biking and swimming help maintain it, but not at 100%). So for me, 5 days has always been the tipping point where I think "I can't let myself go 5 days without doing anything otherwise I'll lose it all!!!" I think I just hate the uphill battle of having to get back on track after an extended break, you know?
DeleteA new goal sounds like a good idea. The question is just what could that new goal be? Ultramarathons seem to be another common "break the slump" goal but I'm not up for that at all! Time to wander and ponder...
A break does sound really good right about now, too. =D
I vote for the dang break! I am SO happy I am not marathon training this summer. The heat is soul sucking.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I couldn't agree with you more that I am SO HAPPY that I am not marathon training this summer. The temps are actually better this year than last summer, but even so. Training for fall marathons really takes a ton of motivation!!!
DeleteThanks for the Shout out! Maybe time for a break and trying something different... I'm so looking at the different things on my Chicago Summer List now that my big race is almost over... Let me know if you want to go Stand Up Paddle Boarding again! :)
ReplyDeleteBig countdown to your Ironman 70.3!!! So excited for you! And I can imagine you must be so excited to take a break from all of your hard-core training after this weekend!
DeleteI would definitely be up for Stand Up Paddleboarding again! Let's talk more about times and dates after this weekend. =D
Em, heat is a sap sucker for sure...Maybe you just need to relax and not feel like you HAVE to do any of those things...sometimes we just need to get out of our own heads and ease up our own expectations...your body might just need a break for awhile. You will get that motivation back just enjoy the summer and stay cool girlie...Your a Rock Star in my book!
ReplyDeleteShannon at I Survived and Now I Run
Shannon, you are right - one of the biggest issues is the feeling that I HAVE to run X miles to train for whatever race, etc. It all goes back to that old saying that we are our own worst enemy, you know? But expectations work in both directions so I think it would help a lot if I could let loose a bit more on always trying to outperform myself. So hard to do, though.
DeleteAnd YOU are a rockstar in MY book!!! =) =) =)
Professional video game player! Roller blading! I'm thinking of doing flirty fitness for some cross training! I can do that right?
ReplyDeleteI think that as long as you are having fun and haven't just given up, you aren't as out of it as you feel. Michael Jordan took a break, so can you!
Maybe find more run buddies and incorporate dance spurts rather than fartleks!
I love those suggestions!!! I haven't played a video game in AGES so it very well may be time to get back in video game shape. =) And roller blading is actually a really, really, really great suggestion. I'd forgotten all about the fact that I already have roller blades that are gathering dust in my closet right now. Love the idea of dance spurts rather than fartleks, too. Can you imagine how that would look on the lakefront path? LOL.
DeleteThank you for comparing my training challenges to Michael Jordan. That is the first and probably the only time that I'll get that kind of privilege. =D
And absolutely you can do Flirty Girl Fitness! I say that we live in an equal opportunity fitness world. =)