Searching for Motivation
Motivation has been a struggle lately. You see the daily lace ups. You see the post-run watch photos. But unless you've been paying close attention, you don't see how hard it has been to keep moving forward.
In times like this, there are 3 things that keep me going:
The plan
The habit
The love of the run
PLAN: 10/10 recommend having a training plan and a coach, no matter what your goals are. I thrive when I have structure. The plan gives me a reasonable goal to hit every day, and lays out my rest days so that I can chill out without feeling guilty.
HABIT: Like brushing my teeth in the morning, lacing up is part of my routine. Brain off, auto-pilot on. Out the door before I have time to question what I'm doing.
LOVE: The feeling of the run itself makes the effort worth it.
But even with these 3 things in my arsenal, the most important factor is that I am kind to myself. I recognize how important recovery is, not only from physical stress (like a hard workout), but also from psychological stress (like a hard day/month/year at work). The goal has always been to be the best I can be, but the definition of BEST has changed. My BEST is rooted in balance, mindfulness, peace, contentment.