Motivation is a Funny Thing…it is Always Changing

• Upcoming race = motivation but too much training = burnout 
• Huge race PR = motivation but thinking you can eat whatever you want and not workout for a week = total FAIL 
• Fellow bloggers with great training weeks = motivation but wondering how they do it can make it seem unattainable 
• Morning runners at Wash Park = motivation but getting out of bed when it is dark is hard!

These are just a few things that I have struggled with over the past week. After the half marathon, I came off a huge high and was so excited to get back out there! I knew tri training was starting and I was so excited to get back at it!

With that great accomplishment, I thought I deserved a good meal that day and the next day off! Well one meal turned in to one week and the next day turned in to the next week! Before I knew it I suddenly was feeling horrible, lazy and unmotivated!

How does one combat this?

Well I knew I needed to get back up so –

Step 1 – Make a PLAN!

• During the foot of snow we received on Saturday – I decided to craft! I made a colorful calendar that plans out activities and workouts. I have this in Excel obviously, but I wanted something hanging in the kitchen that reminded me every day what I had coming up the next week/month and how I can fit in workouts! Just like food, it is always more satisfying when you make it yourself!

 

Step 2 – Get an ‘AH-HA’ moment! 

• Maybe you already had this – but when I stepped on the scale not even 10 days after the race I knew I could not keep on the same track! Sure lots of it was water weight from not eating great, etc – but there was NO excuse to undo everything I had just worked on for months!

Step 3 – get INSPIRED

• Looks to friends, look to family, look to strangers for encouragement, for motivation, for the strength to get started or keep going

• I had 100s of blogs to catch up, I spent a few days catching up on everyone’s accomplishments. Seeing what others can do in a day, what others are enjoying, what others are achieving really got me revved up to go J

Step 4 – Take ONE day at time

• Take one day at a time, focus on small accomplishments and how you can achieve them.

• Tuesday – ran 3 miles during lunch. Felt HARD. Felt SLUGGISH. But I ran! I took the first step! I felt good about my self

• Wednesday – AM: knew work was going to be busy so I went in early to spin for 35 minutes, yay me! I felt good.
• In the PM – I planned my evening and went to Yoga! Yoga was hard, I felt weak – but I felt great about going.

Walking to yoga!

• Thursday – AM swim! First time in the pool in months, felt amazing! I only did a slow 750m but it started the day off on the right foot. Getting out of bed in the dark isn’t fun – nothing before 6 AM is fun (yet), but driving to the pool at Wash Park – seeing lots of runners with headlights and reflective gear – got me excited that I share interests with these people – being healthy and taking charge of your life and doing something about it

 

I always get rings under my eyes!!

• PM: Wash Park run with AA and the pups! AA got the green light from the doc for activities! Planning activities with friends/family is a great way to keep in touch and lighten you spirits (and body!) Though this run did not go well! I ran with Scarlet who did well, but my lungs really hurt!! I think it may also be because I gave blood last week! I love giving blood but it sure wipes it out of me!

• The eating side has been going well too – planning meals, eating at home, and consciously thinking about what you are putting in to your body helps so much.  Someone recently told me – don’t tell yourself that you CAN’T eat something because of a diet, say you don’t WANT to. Don’t control your eating but decide it!

Step 5 – Reward yourself!

• It is far too early to reward myself after 3 days of working out! But along those lines – treat yourself once and a while!

• AA and I received a package from my mom with some sweet new workout gear! This always helps!

• REI dividends came out this week and I have my eyes on a bike computer trainer! I can’t wait to hop on the bike after the winter

• My birthday is coming up! I already picked out some clipless pedals and new shoes!

Step 6 – Be excited for YOU

• I’m not the fastest, I won’t train the most, I won’t make every workout but I am excited I am trying!!! I deserve that :-)

While this post may seems like I hit rock bottom and needed divine intervention to get me going, it wasn’t quite that bad. But I did throw my working out and good eating habits out the window for too long. I know here and there it’s great to splurge (and I do) and there will be slip ups (and I do) – but this feels like I was starting fresh and am really excited about it! Since moving to Colorado that is the longest ‘non working out’ break I had and I didn’t like one minute of it!

How do you deal with post race blues and ruts?