Motivation? What's that?!

[Deleted User]

I seem to have a major problem (no jokes, please!), I have recently completed the RH Marathon (first marathon for me) and have found it difficult to continue to run. Everyone else in my club seems to be unaffected, but I am increasingly finding it easier to miss running and sometimes find myself inventing excuses to get out of training.
Does anyone have any solutions, as the advice in September's RW wasn't really that awe-inspiring?

[Deleted User]

How about having a massive eating and drinking binge until you become trebibly unhappy with yourself. You could then rediscover running.

Not very helpful -sorry.

[Deleted User]

Dan -- I had a similar problem after London 2001 and would only go running once a week after that for about 6 months. What helped me to motivate was to sign up for another race and to create a running schedule which listed what I would do and on which days to build up for the race. Having a goal is useful and I found making time for running in my busy life helped me to actually go running.

Running Rodent

Try the time honoured method of progressive lying to yourself. It works like this:

'I'll just put my running kit on. I don't have to go out, I can just stay in the house'

'Well, I've got my stuff on now, I'll just go outside and see what the weather's like. I can come back in once I've done that'

'I'm out here now, I might as well try a trot round the block'

'Now I've started running, I might as well do that 15min/45min/1 hour run I was planning anyway'.

Self delusion. Works every time.

[Deleted User]

Thanks all, Ive had the same problem
Now where are my shoes

[Deleted User]

Dan

It's not your fault. We often experience a sense of disorientation after we've achieved a goal we've been striving for (in your case I bet you put alot of yourself into getting to and round your first marathon). When you've achieved everything you set out to do it's difficult to refocus.

Why did you start running?
What have you enjoyed about it?
Can you remember the rush you felt when you finished the marathon?
(you don't have to answer these questions in public but they might give you the focus you are seeking).

Find yourself a new target (it doesn't have to be a marathon) for a few months ahead

eg
Matthew Walker Xmas Pud 10K
10:30am, Sunday 17 November 2002
Heanor Minors Welfare, Ilkeston Rd, Heanor, Derbyshire

Get your application sent in then let us know how the preparation is going & we'll help you along.

Enjoy it

Nick

XFR Bear

Hi!

Could it be that having achieved the goal of running a marathon, you now have nothing to aim for?

If so, then the solution may be to set yourself another goal - complete a marathon in a faster time, a PB for a particular distance, or maybe even an ultra run.

Cheers, Iain

Chaos

Excellent one there Running Rodent! Uncannily that's exactly what i did last night and it worked very well.

I had the same downer after the FLM this year, Dan, and have got back into things largely by entering races & going to a running club.

[Deleted User]

Setting targets and telling people about them so they in turn keep asking you how they are going which keeps you focused on the targets set by you to keep you motivated. Or something like that.

[Deleted User]

the new blur song. featured first on runne's world. excellent