Feeling terribly unmotivated today. Of course, today is my rest day so I guess that's a good day to be unmotivated. However, I think I've taken the word rest a little too literally today and honestly have not even gotten out of my pajamas today. I was laughing as I got the pizza delivery guy at the door and realized I was still in my pjs. Quite sad, but heck we all have those days. (I think anyways.)
I am not one of those naturally motivated runners. I, mean yes, I go through spells where I am very motivated, and then I go through spells where I go through the motions. I also am not a whiner. (Ask my husband and he'll probably say otherwise. I do whine, and often, but let me explain this a little better.) I do not look for others to motivate me. I do not expect motivation to be external and realize that drive has to come within. When I don't have it I will try to fake it and roll with things until I find it again.
Today, is one of those unmotivated days. It's one of those days where I ask myself why exactly it is that I run. It's one of those days where I don't feel like working hard and want to be content with being mediocre.
Now what will drive me out there tomorrow morning for my long run. Where will my running mojo come from? I have a good feeling about tomorrow's run. With that I figured I'd make a list of reasons for me to run tomorrow. I figure it's good for other runners to read that sluggish days happen to the best of us and maybe my list will inspire someone else to get out the door tomorrow. Most importantly hopefully it will motivate me right out the door.
1. I don't want to have a bad race! It is so depressing reading a bad race report. You know where the runner did not finish or crashed and burned on their run. I don't want that to be me. I think about this often and feel guilty fueling my run off of other's bad news, but it does motivate me. I hate that feeling of not finishing strong. Not doing as well as you had hoped. I have felt that way before myself and come September I want that awesome feeling of finishing strong and knowing *I* did this.
2. Well, I generally don't use food intake to motivate my running. I'm not one of those that will run x amount of minutes to burn off x amount of calories I consumed, but today I am going to make an exception. I am having a Rolos McFlurry and I had another gluten free bread experiment today and consumed more than my share. I was kind of super hungry today so no guilt with this, but it might motivate me a little out the door.
3. The heat - Hopefully this will motivate me to get out early and "get er done".
4. Back to the strong finish, this one pops in my head often when I am struggling to get out the door. This is also why I have to have a race in front of me to keep me motivated. Whatever finish time I am aiming for I will put a mental picture of the race clock with that time on it. Sometimes, I will even make crazy ambitious time goals, but still that clock and picturing me finishing work a good portion of the time.
5. Music - Now this isn't a thing to think of for motivation, but when I'm in a rut I will get some new music to run with OR I will make a new playlist with power songs. I'm kind of goofy with what I listen to so Rocky music and other songs will find their way onto my play list.
6. Retail therapy! I admit it I love shopping for running stuff. When I get in a rut buying new toys, clothes, or gear helps. I love buying new clothes to run in, but am careful to keep things in check with that. Nothing like a new tank and shorts to run in to fire up my run.
7. Remind myself where I started. Remind myself how quickly I can turn right back into a slug. Kind of like Cinderella and her glass slipper. I like where I am at with my fitness level and I know that sticking with it is what counts. It doesn't matter if every run is a good run. It matters that I am doing it.
8. Run a new route! Oh must do for me. Sometimes I just need the safety of running the same streets over and over again, but when burn out is upon me anything to change things up helps.
9. Pick a mantra or keyword. I do this a lot. Shoot I am known to talk to myself outloud. I will pick a word or phrase and repeat it over and over and over to either get me out the door or get me through my run. A couple of my often repeated phrases "put one foot in front of the other", "stick with the plan", "slow..steady..slow..steady", and occasionally will use "you're not a quitter".
10. My final thought is to just get dressed and put your shoes on even if you aren't motivated. Step outside. Walk. And usually if I get that far my motivation will quickly follow.
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