I Speak Truths #2: I know I sound harsh, but the truth is love. TRUTH IS LOVE. Xoxo

I know I sound harsh, but the truth is love. Truth is love. Xoxo

MOTIVATION: PLAY THE LONG GAME

It’s not going to come from the latest training plan, new coach, fast new shoes, gadgets, or whatever you can throw money at to ease your mind....These all great additions- IF.....I

If you have the internal drive! Your coach, trainer, friend can want it so bad for you, BUT it will go now where without internal drive.

To speak Gen Z, it's not going to come from Tic Toc, snapchat, hashtags, strava, or your training buddies stats-

If you can’t find the focus and energy to execute when you are ALONE or you feel "over it" at the moment, you may not be getting the most out of yourself. You have to play the long game.

At times, you have to be able to suffer in silence for a while if you are going to realize your potential.

And suffering- such a scary work- ha!

This might look like: getting bored during some runs but still continuing and showing up,

It might be going to the “pain cave” during a key race specific session,

It may be running solo at a time that works for your family schedule- hmmm 5am cold December morning.

If you can't do this- you will eventually hit a plateau.

This is fine. As long as YOU ARE FINE! Ha!

Are you CLEAR that you won't get any stronger or faster- this is called MAINTENANCE and this is a great place to be for health!

Again, be clear what you want though?

You can't be in maintenance mode and grow a lot.

But, be clear, the former is a skill that will take you past that plateau.

This is a SKILL which means you have to practice it!

Story Time: When training for my first Olympic Marathon trials from 2009-2012, I literally ran all of my key sessions in my tiny cold unfinished basement at 3:45 am in the morning on the treadmill before heading out to drive 30 minutes to work a full time as a high school English teacher, then leaving to excitedly pick up my baby girl from school and heading home to have time with my family. I am not telling this story cause I think I am cool or amazing- no, I am telling you what it looks like to be internally motivated. I could care less what others thought. I wanted it! Of course like Lady Gag says, I love for the Applause" Well sure, applause is fun and wonderful, but that is just a by product. I did it to prove to myself. And, that is how I did that crazy schedule AND loved the whole process!

I remember other people saying, why are you doing that?

Well, I value family. I had a family. I valued my work. I had a teaching job. And, I wanted to make sure I carved out time to be with my husband and baby after work- so, I ran before work and went to bed when the baby went to bed!

I had to learn the grind at times. But, I played the long game- I enjoyed this life. Even though it took some discipline and early mornings. Jimmy Dugan, "It's the hard that makes it great- ha! I love that movie -A League of Her Own!

I digress....then on the weekends, I meet up with my teammates for fun runs- Lisa and Amy and Julie and Jess!

I SPEAK TRUTHS

If I am constantly getting my motivation from external sources- I will eventually flake: You see a social post from a runner who smashed a big goal, you see a friend's impressive strava, you don't get out the door unless you have a friend meeting you?

You have to get motivated from inside yourself. You have to be able to do the work “in the dark” if you have to. Yes, of course all the above motivators are wonderful additions, BUT, if your motivation is solely relying on that - you are haphazardly training- your training life will not last. Play the Long Game.

Think BIG PICTURE.

Play the LONG GAME.

What you see in one instance of another's running life is not the big picture.

Running is a HARD sport that requires you to calm down and stay patient through ALL SEASONS!

With this perspective, it WILL bring you unique, hugely joyful life gifts, but in order to feel this contentment, understand the lifelong runner's life has peaks and troughs just like a workout, marathon, or anything worth doing in life.

We have seasons. We evolve. We learn. We grow. I think this is how to play the long game.

When I hear a runner say- “Do I have to keep growing all the time...uggg"

UMMMM, yah, that's like the point of this sport- ha! Truth- you will be on a proverbial treadmill (pun intended) unless you are constantly growing- AHHH this is where gifts are abundant! Take the pivot, take the opportunity, take the path you have yet to travel!

No? Well, Maintenance mode! AND that's not a great place when your brain tells you you wanna PR or “do something”

I know I sound harsh, but the truth is love. Truth is love. Xoxo

Example Seasons Of A Runner’s Life

Base Building- Miles and neuromuscular connection with foot speed, strike, biomechanics.

Recovery - Time to deload your running muscle- do some yoga, walking, swimming, cycling, or just take a scheduled break

Race Specific - Mileage dialed in to allow for proper intensity prescriptions and progressions.

Injured - GREAT! Congratulations! Time to respect your body with rest, diverse and ENOUGH nutrition to allow body to heal at an optimal rate- AND the time you maybe focus on areas of life left untouched due to time you spend training- knowing , knowing- that you WILL have your running season back soon- RELAX. Don't be miserable during a time that actually could be a BLESSING! I get you are sad you are injured- fine but its time to move on and embrace and get the best out of this season! Stop the pity party- you are not the only runner who has gone through this and you can actually get grateful and enjoy this time- even if you have sad moments- move on by relaxing and embracing.

Treat yourself lovely! Trust me- you will HEAL FASTER with this attitude change.