Staying motivated

Training for a marathon isn't an easy endeavor. There are early morning runs to avoid the heat, lots of long weekend runs, speed workouts, cross training, and to add to it, sleeping, eating and your non-running life! It can be hard to balance everything, especially during the summertime when we are taking vacations and enjoying the nice weather and longer days. Losing motivation or finding yourself skipping runs is a natural by product of training. When you find yourself in this predicament, try these 4 tips. They've helped me and Jessica out of a few ruts.

1. Meet a friend, or a group, for a run. Use your easy or recovery days to run with a friend. Use the time to chat and keep yourself honest with your pace (this should be your slower run). Group runs are great because of the different paces; one week the group pace might challenge you and another week, it's might help you hit that slow, easy pace.

2. Pick a destination. Use your running time to reconnect with friends and then continue the conversation over drinks, brunch or coffee. Or, head out by yourself - plot out runs that end at your favorite brunch spot, new coffee shops, or your local wine bar and reward yourself at the end.  Don’t forget your money (we keep our money and IDs in a plastic sandwich bag- it works)!

3. Change of scenery.  Keep things fresh or re-inspire your running by exploring new routes through your city. Hop on a subway, train or drive out to a park or lake you haven't run around.  If you’re traveling, look online for local running spots instead of leaving directly from your hotel. 

4. Accountability. Find a coach, a buddy, or a family member to hold you accountable. Give them your training schedule and ask them to ask you about your runs.  If that's too much, print out your monthly plan and tape it to the mirror in your bathroom or leave it on the fridge so you'll see it everyday.

Sticking to your 2013 Goals

Setting goals is only the first step to achieving your dreams and living the life you want. Following through and accomplishing them are the next steps. Here are our tips for how to stay motivated and achieve your 2013 goals.

1) Set goals. For example, pick a race and pay for it - now you're committed. Differentiate long-term vs short-term goals. Long-term: I want to lose 10 lbs. Short-term is how do you get there: I run 2x a week for 45 mins, or I do 3 classes a week.

2) Write your goals down on paper and look at them every day.

3) Find a support network. Say your goals out loud. Find someone who supports your goals and will keep you accountable, ie. friend, coach, family.

4) Find a friend/partner in crime to workout with. Meet them for those early morning classes.

5) Keep a record or workout log of what you do so you can see your progress andt track improvements.

6) Have the proper gear. You’ll look good and feel good!

7) Keep it fun and attainable. Meeting a friend for coffee? Run there! Go to a Friday class and then meet your friends out after.

8) Practice moderation. Don't jump into a marathon if you've only run a 5k. Start slow and build up.

9) Reward yourself along the way with rest days, your favorite food or dinner with friends. 

Goals don't have specific shapes or forms or wording. They are yours and there to push you, motivate you, scare you and get you to think bigger and grander than you believe possible.  Create a goal, or two, and share it with your friends, family and co-workers. Make yourself accountable. Write it on a piece of paper and stick it on your bathroom mirror or your bedroom door. Repeat it to yourself. Believe in it and in yourself.

If your goals are fitness related, talk to us. We'd love to help you define it, tackle it and create more! Having goals will motivate you to finish that 8th hill repeat or wake up at 7am on a Sunday to run 18 miles.