What motivates you?

Id like to know what keeps you motivated and why you got in to running in the first place here is my story all my life i was told by everyone that i would never amount to anything,that i was fat a waste of space and a general loser i drunk alot of beer to quell those shitty feelings and even ashamed to say i became a cannibis addict , For the first 21 years of my life i was made to feel like this i left school with no qualifications and worked dead end jobs i still do now and professionally i may never make it although not through lack of trying thats another story though. 4 Years ago i decided to start boxing to improve my confidence and to lose weight most people said it wouldnt last they were right with the boxing but i continued running i could barely run a mile but i started to get addicted to running the weight was coming of and i felt much better i ran for 3 and a half years and the distances got higher and higher and many said i should consider doing a half marathon still despite my progress my self esteem was still not strong and i didnt feel confident then i decided i had nothing to lose running is about yourself and what you can achieve not what anyone else thinks so i entered the reading half marathon this year my first race and i clocked in at 1 hour 31, I was so proud not so much of the time the fact that the hell i went through to achieve that little victory the medal for all the hard work,dedication and discpline made it all worth it, I entered Bracknell the month after and clocked in a PB of 1 hour 28 that is a good time and considering were i was 5 years ago it was a miracle i will continue to run for the rest of my life to maintain fitness and for the fact it gave me a purpose in my life in truth running saved my life and racing and continuing to prove the doubters wrong is what keeps the motivation for me strong.

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Comments

  • Good for you.  I have a friend who discovered mountain biking and lost 7 stone, and kept it off.

    Exercise has always been an important part of my life, starting at 8 when I did gymnastics for 8 years. I ran x-country for my school (though the PE teacher said I was built for sprinting not long distance!), then over the years I've done various sports with a bit of running thrown in... til about 6 years ago, when I discovered that running for longer than 20 minutes was the key to enjoying it!  I just run for the sheer pleasure of it, and did my first races last year. 

  • That is a lot of unformatted text. Anyone got a summary?
  • I run because I can. It makes me feel alive and forget about all of the other crap in life.

    I find it de-stresses me and gives me time to myself.  I get back from my runs tired, relaxed and calm and that feeling usually lasts for the rest of the day.

    What motivates me?

    Running faster than before

    Feeling fitter and healthier that ever

  • i run to feel fit, to jump in fornt of the mirror and the only bits that wiggle are supposed to. I run to keep my heart healthy and to be able to stay fit in the water (i play water polo). I run because i feel good during and afterwards...

     ...but most of all.......

    It is the only time i get to myself, and i quite enjoy my own company.

  • My motivation.

    Because I can.

    Because it makes me feel good about myself.

    Becuase I like the solitude.

    Because it helps me keep my weight under control.

    Because I do it for me, and I only have myself to please while doing so.

  • Sorry for my poor grammer on my first post.
  • BookyBooky ✭✭✭

    I started running in May - I entered a Race for Life event and did no training whatsoever. I started off walking, then thought, what the hell, and started to run. I didn't have to stop once, and thought, wow! I've found something I can do! I've been running ever since - I've since done a 10K and have started training properly.

    I've always been seen as bookish - more of an academic than anything else. Running lets me achieve at something I've never been that good at before. image

  • Wouldn't worry about it Michael - I thought it was quite inspiring stuff.

     As for me, I was reasonably sporty as a lad and was a pretty tidy sprinter but I only had one pace - all out - so anything over 400m seemed impossible to me.  I assumed I just wasn't a distance runner.

    Then I reached 36, overweight, inactive and needled by this notion that I couldn't run decided to have another go. 

    It worked and I'm 3.5 stone lighter, healthy and love my running now - probably my only hobby as I've given up on the footie & rugby league.

    It keeps my weight in check, makes me feel more active, gives me a buzz, keeps me healthy, allows me time to think and relax and gets me outdoors seeing things I wouldn't normally see.

  • I've gone from being overweight, heavy smoker and drinker and comfort eater couch potato to fit & healthy, smoke free and alcohol free happier human being.
    All trough running.

    I always wanted to, and I always have enjoyed hiking but I was just not getting off my arse.

    One day something just clicked in my head and I realised its not going to be easy. Losing weight. Running. I'm not going to just get up one day and be all I want to be without lot of har work. And that day my work started. This was in 2006.
    I've now done half marathons, lots of 10k's and one full marathon and I am currently studying sports therapy and looking to set up my own business. Another change in my life from office work to fitness industry.


  • I run because I enjoy it at the time and enjoy the feeling afterwards and I run to try and stay in somekind of shape. 

    I can't see the day that I stop running unless it's for a medical reason.  I'm well and truly hooked.
  • Running and fitness changed me, I mean i ran a half marathon in 1 hour 28 my second one and im 25 so theres room for improvement if you had know me 5 years ago and some one told you that they would have pissed themselves laughing.

  • This is very interesting forum topics, I think. Thanks Michael.

    I started my run- simply for my diet. I am not good at any sports since I was a child. But running doesnt need any technique, so I started.Keeping fit is more gorgeous and sexy (!) than any nice accessory or good-design cloths.And good mental effect for me.

    And if the sports players or athletes in the world can run, why is there any reason that I cannot run, because I am human being like others...

    If I run alone and very slow, I feel I am not alone. Joining the run event (ex. Race for life or local running event) and through this Running World web site, I feel that I can connect with the people who run! 

    So,, I dont mind when I run very slow, I am happy to keep something nice- at least it is nice for my diet and my mental.image 

     

  • I run cos I'm a fat bastard! That's about the gist of it. Also I like food too much. Hopefully by running I will be able to indulge once in a while and hopefully I will lose weight.... Also this time last year I didn't believe I'd enjoy running outside as I did all my running in the gym on the treadie. Been running outside now regularly since the beginning of the year and I absolutely enjoy the constant challenge. I am always finding new routes to run. Someone at work was telling me about a particular hill that was a nightmare. Tonight I ran past the the road leading to said hill and thought, "Bollox! I'm going for it!" And I did. Not only that I completed over 13 miles this evening for the first time ever. I am totally goosed, but over the moon!

    Lance Armstrong once said - "Doing something once is easy. Doing something twice is the hard part. " That quote keeps me pushing it every time I run.

  • Because there is a woman 5 ft tall and about the same measurement round waiting for me if my genes run true. I'm from a long line of rather large women and I'm going to postpone that for as long as possible.

    Seriously, I am a very unsucessful dieter - I like food too much for that to ever work - so I have to do some form of exercise to keep the flab to an acceptable level.

    I have found added benefits to running, being outside, being alone with ones thoughts (a valuable thing in this hectic, crowded world), and the feeling of doing something by sheer effort alone (trust me, there's absolutely no talant involved here!). There are bad days, but when it goes well it's a massive high.

  • I started running only 8 weeks ago, but i'd been going to my local gym for over a year and a half before i realised that cross training would not be enough to lose significant weight.

    i went on a slim fast diet first, which lost me 2 stone, then i learnt about carbs and protein, which is an essential part of any long term dietry plan, then i started to lose weight.

    then I started running and doing long runs too, which burn off loads of calroies.  i was 16 stone, now 11 1/2 stone in a year.  My personal view is that the longer you run the more you'll lose weight if that's an issue.  i run for the enjoyment of it now because i never previously put myself under any pressure to do so..

    I now love running because it gives you a great release from any stress, plus it make me feel good, especially when i have 8 pints when i watch the footie!!!!!!

    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm bbbbbbeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

  • Because every run is a challenge, therefore every run is an achievement. I am constantly surprised by my own ability to drag myself round a few miles!
  • Started running to improve fitness for other sports and also did a marafun to show off and say I had. Quickly realised the challenge of doing a race was quite fun and now just do one every so often for the laugh and also wait to be in the 100 club as the t-shirts pretty.

    Also discovered that after started running asthma has almost gone even through I am a smoker.image

  • I like the feeling I get after the running - coming in through the door proud and sweaty and a bit muddy!

    Also, like some others have said, I like to eat! I'm a naturally slim person blessed with a good metabolism... but GOOD LORD i can get through the cakes. Seriously. I can eat a family sized cake or a whole box of biscuits in a day. image

    I went from 8.5 stone to 12.5 stone when I left uni and stopped exercising regularly. That was a shock. So I lost it on slimfast and then started running - since being injured I've managed to put on half a stone again - there's my motivation right there!

    Also I like talking nonsense in between breaths on sunday mornings with my running bud  image

  • I think Danowat and Phoenix 44 probably covered all my reasons for running. There is just nothing to beat the feeling of running down that last hill before home after a good hard run. I still sometimes want to stick my arms out and go 'wheeeeeeeee' like a 6 yr old (though I wouldn't recommend doing so on a club run).

    The other great thing about running is it can be a solitary or social sport. Like Danowat I enjoy the solitude, but can also enjoy running with others and going for a beer and tallking rubbish afterwards.

    Michael and TurboElli - inspirational

  • Because I don't want to follow the family tradition of heart disease and diabetes.
  • Michael, that is a serious impressive time for a half no matter what your story is. Well done!

    Me? Why do I run? For Phil at the moment, because he can't. He's going through the really grubby stages of chemotherapy just now, and very much not enjoying it.

    But I am running for Phil because at the moment it is simpler than running for myself. I don't find it easy to run. For over ten years I have had neuromuscular issues, and for a period in the past, even walking without sticks was tough (the forum name is not random). I got the running back, and it has been the best physio going. It also has sorted out the head problems: I know, when I look in the mirror, I want to see a runner, not a cripple. To do that, I've got to run. I reckon I may be unusual amongst women in having an ideal body image that includes a scarlet face and hair plastered to my head with sweat, but that's the me I want to see. There's only one way to see it: run.

    Just now I am getting used to a label, and there are evil little devils sitting on my shoulders taunting me: "You have Parkinson's disease - PD victims can't think of running, you should give up". I find this label as difficult to wear as I did the lack of a label for the preceding ten years. I guess I'll get used to it.

    But the little devils got to learn, whatever the label, however slow, I'm going to run. End of discussion.

    For now though, I'm running for Phil, so the devils can just shut up.
  • And Michael, do not worry about punctuation, grammar or format. Just write! You've got a story to tell.
  • Hi Michael

    a story to be proud of, i'm so pleased for you - keep writing, keep inspiring

    I've been at this game a very long time, i'm now a veteran marathoner - only difference is - now-a-days, i run and push my disabled son in his wheelchair,

    i run for lots of reasons, but the main and primarily ones are to keep fit and feel good about myself

    There are a lot of wondefrul people out there to find inspiration from -

    just to name one  that i know of and have met many times - Stickless !! 

  • Really good thread this.  I have always exercised but never enjoyed running, was in the military for half my life.  Decided to work out why I never enjoyed running and 3 years ago gave it a try and found out I didn't enjoy it because I ran too fast, as soon as I figured that out running became a wonderful thing for me.  I really enjoy running now.  I train for fitness and speed on a treadmill, but when I go out on the road I run for the enjoyment of it.  It is a wonderful thing and I intend to keep doing it for as long as I can, I see people in their 60s and 70s in the races I enter and I intend to be one of them when I get to that age.
  • An update to my story for the last 5 years i have wanted to join the army each time i apply i get deferred to a certain date then i reapply then get deferred again this has been going on for the last 2 and a half years.Im 25 now and still work for next which i have been at for the last 5 years now i get very frustrated that the roads i take always have roadblocks but now it has made me more determined for my marathon next month.An update on training im still finding it hard to control my pace and therefore tiring badly on a 16 mile run sunday i tried to conserve as much as possible the first 8 miles i ran 58 minutes and 33 seconds the second 8 i ran 1 hour 2 minutes, Am i still going to fast?

  • Yes Michael try and go slow for the first part of the long run and see what that does. For a marathon it's self hard to pace without experiance and can be a b**stard even with it. Best bet take it nice and easy for a first 13 to 16 miles, then see whats in the tank and start stepping it up. Different folks have different statergies for them so best to take a look round the threads, shop around and see what suits you best.
  • At the moment simply recover from injury, and to loose weight  hit ting my target weight loss.

    Then we'll look at races.

  • The will to succeed. This takes on lots of forms.

     Initially, it was to lose weight, I was determined to do that and I kept at it until I reached my target weight, also ending up with a little feature in Runer's World image.

    However along the way I picked up a slight addiction to running but I can't help but look at the numbers, I want that tempo pace to be faster, that 10k to be under 40 mins, that split to be negative etc. I think the fact that my history is from extremely competitive team sport, at international levels means I have a lot more drive to succeed than most people who enter running as more of a 'hobby'.

     That's what motivates me, is to be faster than I've ever run before.

  • Good story MD5, and take that effort and apply it elsewhere in your life, then your self esteem will rocket. What did the guys at work do the weekends you ran?

    What motivates me: Health, fitness and the opportunity to set my own goals, targets and compete with me, while checking out how I perform for a guy my age. There are motivational ups and downs but in the running community, more than anywhere else there are people who willlingly help you get back on track.
    Well done Michael, wish I could do a 1.28image

  • MD5 - that's an amazing time for a half image good luck for your full mara!

    Stickless - just wanted to say you're amazing!

    i started running about 18 months ago when my sister challenged me to a half mara. i didn't think i could do it at first (13 miles is a long way to run!), but i found a training plan, followed it (to the letter image) and i got there eventually.

    every sunday i got a really good feeling cos i was running further than i had ever run before. on the day my plan was (1) to complete the race (2) to run the whole way and (3) to beat my sister image (nothing like sibling rivalry to motivate me!) and i achieved all 3 targets image

    now i run cos i like being in the great outdoors in all weather (i'm even starting to get a tan on my thighs image - they haven't seen the sun in years!), i like the effect running has on my body (i got back into my skinny trousers again recently image) and i've discovered if i don't run when i usually would i get VERY grumpy

    and i race cos i like the medals image and i like being in a group of runners (as i usually don't see any runners) - just knowing everyone is pretty much there to do the same thing is amazing.

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