Lack of Motivation
61
Member
1665 days
annietrick posted 3 years ago.
i know how you feel... i'm just exiting (hopefully) a long stretch of intermittant training. for a while i'd be great with the workouts, very structured and regular. then something would happen... midterms, cold, too much partying... and i'd be off of training for a few weeks. i got really frustrated with myself. i only have one race on my calender for the summer as a definite and it's july 31, which is too far off to provide any consistant motivation for me....
so...
i decided to crack the whip and set another goal for myself with an instant reward... i've been wanting an mp3 player for a while now, but it's really not in the budget. so i decided to make up a workout schedule for 4 weeks, and at the end, if all went well i could splurge and get the mp3 player that i wanted. if i missed even 1 day i had to start all over again. i'm almost at my 4 week mark and things have gone well.... i feel like i've forced myself into a good routine and will stick with it for a while.
i think that setting smaller, more immediate goals will help to keep you motivated... you mentioned that you're new to tris, so maybe you can set up little rewards of cool tri gear to help you stay on track for that first race. and none of that "i can't do it" crap... if you want to then you can and you will. you've already taken the biggest step and put a race date out there. so the rest will follow. and don't think that you have to be in perfect shape to finish one either... last summer i did a sprint tri here in boston after spending 2 weeks in las vegas and the month prior to that finishing up summer classes and slacking with training. but i finished the race, even though it wasn't as pretty as it could have been, it wasn't bad. and it definately wasn't a failure. it just gave me a starting point to build my goals from.
so don't give up. try setting up a schedule with a goal in the near future to work towards. and even if you do miss a day when you "shouldn't", don't get frustrated or down on yourself, just go on with the next day as planned. life happens, you're only human, it's ok. (these are things that i tell myself when i'm in that situation...) good luck, keep us posted on how it's coming... this site can be a great motivator too...
:)
annie
2334
Member
2427 days
Tribro posted 3 years ago.
Just know that you're not alone. We allhave stages of great training and stages of poor or missed training. Other aspects of life can interfere and cause havic, but you just have to get through the bad, unmotivated times to push on to the good training and race days. As well as just the overall health benefits of the lifestyle.
Make sure to try and eat properly. I know when I feel unmotivated to train it's often because I've eaten crap or haven't eaten enough that day, which causes me to eat crap. It's a vicous (sp?) cycle. But if you can eat good foods and drink water that can help with your energy levels and training motivation.
Also just try to get out and do something. Sounds like you're trying to get back into shape so just take baby steps to get there if need be. Doing too much can cause burnout, but make sure to try and do something to keep yourself active. Even if it's a walk or hike, or easy fun bike ride. Also, if your schedule allows, try to set aside the same time each day for training. That way you get used to scheduling other things around your training rather than visa versa. Preferably morning so you can start your day off well and not miss it due to things that pop up during the day.
Hope that helps some. Just stick to it and you'll see the benefits and it'll become second nature.
612
Member
1449 days
qb ant posted 3 years ago.
Annie's right, we've all been there and we all need a little kick in the a$$ every now and then. It's soooo hard to get motivated during the long, dark winter months. Stay postitive, and don't beat yourself up over a missed workout or bad times or whatever - just move on. We all have our setbacks. Know your limits and keep to your own goals and expectations. Don't set the bar so high that you're always disappointed. Maybe try and find some local 5K's to do in the near future. It will give you something to train for and keep you motivated - do one a month if you can and just try to improve your times from race to race - don't go crazy. Find a buddy to train with if you can or put on your headphones and crank some good tunes. Good luck - keep us posted.....
Ant
"90% of the game is half mental" Yogi Berra
143
Member
1780 days
Deejay posted 3 years ago.
I think the best thing is to get into a routine. Tell yourself how many days/week you want to swim, bike or run and stick to it. The other thing is if you can join a health club or find people to work out with. It helps so much to have others to train with. The next thing is that maybe you should sign up for a race sooner than september. Thats a long way off. I like to constantly have things im training for. Even if you wont be in top shape, it will motivate you to at least work out consistently. It doesn't have to be a triathlon, maybe a road race or a recreational bike ride.
Remeber that consistency is the most important! So if you are feeling tired and unmotivated, tell yourself you will just run 1 mile or swim 10 laps or bike for 15 minutes. Anything is better than nothing. And i find often times that once i get out there, i go for much longer than i initially planned.
It also helps to surround yourself with encouraging words and motivation. And remember to always always always keep a positive attitude. Attitude is all in your control. Think positive. You can do it!
"Tough times dont last. Tough people do."
806
Member
1391 days
thehitman posted 3 years ago.
I agree with Deejay. You need more immediate goals.
How about the Manassas Mini Triathlon on May 15?
250m swim, 3 mi bike, 1.2 mi run.
Then maybe a sprint tri in July.
And there's gotta be plenty of training partners in Quantico.
thehitman
thehitman
“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” Mark Twain
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1396 days
christri25 posted 3 years ago.
are you really a US MARINE ?
Chris
``It's not as if I'm going to sit around and be a fat slob,''
Lance Armstrong 2005
806
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1391 days
thehitman posted 3 years ago.
Yeah. That's a good one.
Its not nice to fool thehitman.
thehitman
“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” Mark Twain
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1456 days
TriMarine4027 posted 3 years ago.
Yes, I was a Marine, but got hurt while serving on Active Duty. My recovery from my injury has been long and painful and I still haven't fully recovered from it. So me picking and trying to train for a triathlon is where this coming into play. My injury has me really down because of the way it happen so, Marine Corps I will always be motivated to go train harder, but coming from an injury its a little harder.
130
Member
1679 days
DSmith posted 3 years ago.
A good idea would be to try to find some other athletes in your area to train with. It is always harder to cancel a workout when you know that someone is there waiting on you. Join a masters program for the swim and check out the local bike and run clubs.
Thats the only way I can stay motivated thoughout the year.
Hope this helps.
9
Member
1533 days
TriQuest posted 3 years ago.
TriMarine4027- You mentioned something in your post that needs clarification. You said "I was a Marine".......... You should know "Once a Marine, always a Marine" Stay motivated soldier........."Semper Fi"
60
Member
1413 days
BrianB posted 3 years ago.
Everyone's advice here is excellent...I always tell folks trying to get motivated to find what drives them. What is it that makes you want to do anything for fitness? Not tryiong to get too heavy, but I am a three time cancer survivor with high percentage for recurrence...THAT is my driver. Lance Armstrong is my mentor and I use that to make myself get up at 4am...to get to the gymn by 5 and work hard until 7:15...5 days per week. One day off (or a light ride or run) and one long ride or run on the weekends.
Your driver doesn't have to be as drastic as mine, but finding one will help keep the focus!
I'm doing the Marine Corp Marathon this Oct...My dad is a Marine and he is fired up and proud to have me do that race...guess what - I just found another driver for that specific race.
Good Luck and THANKS for fighting for our freedom!!!
Hello everyone. I am a newbie triathlon and have been on and off on my training. I find myself getting extremely frustrated and feel I lack of motivation. I get spurts when all I want to do is train, but then fall back to my lazy unmotivated self. I know if I can just make it over the hump it will be that much better, but it's just getting to that hump I have trouble with. I don't know if it's an injury that I have had in the past that I have siked myslef out into thinking that it still hurts or if just me being totally out of shape, where I keep telling myself that I'll never be able to do it. Please help, any and all words of wisdom or encourged. I've pushed the triathlon that I want to do until September and October, so hopefully I can get into some type of shape before then. :mad: