Some days you just don’t feel it…..

There are always going to be hard days, the days where training is a struggle. Often those days are influenced by external circumstances but there are also those days where the sun is shining and you can’t be stuffed. That’s the dark hole that none of us want to fall down.  There are solutions to this and spicing up your training is one of them. So hopefully some of these tips will help your struggle; inspiring you to put on those shoes, sign up for that race, or just to get out of bed and make the morning swim session.

“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.” — Edmund Hillary

Goals

Its no secret that successful people make goals. In all walks of life goals are important for a positive outcome.  So as athletes having clear, measurable goals – ‘SMART goals’ are a step in the right direction. As for inspiration, specifically writing your goals down, sticking them on your bedhead, fridge or the back of the loo door, will help you to remember why you’re punishing yourself, bringing your training back into context and giving you a fresh batch of motivation for tonight’s session.

Love

I heard an interview with 12 time New Zealand Ironman Champion Cameron Brown recently, reflecting on his 12th title and setting an incredible new record of just under 8 hour and 8 minutes, breaking the previous course record by over 7 and half minutes… all at the age of 43. He was asked, in his 23rd year as a professional athlete, what keeps him going? And it all came down to love. His passion for his sport keeps him going. So perhaps you’re not doing what you love? Most professional athletes will take a step back every now and then, taking the day off training to do something they enjoy. It might be a quick hike, shuttles in the local MTB park or a paddle, but make sure you’re out there doing what you love to keep your inspiration high.

Rest

Over training is a real issue especially for those of us amateurs still caught up in all the other expectations of our lives.  There has been a lot of research and discussion about this recently, but you aren’t actually improving when you’re pushing your body past its training limit. You’re not doing yourself any favours by getting stuck in a rut. Your body expresses that often through sickness or injury. This may be the cause of your low motivation and maybe it’s best to have a couple of days off and come back ready to crush it! Use those days for recovery; still sleeping and eating well of course. A short mid season break isn’t the place for celebration drinks, the time will come later on for you to hit town.

Technology and gear

New technology and gear is a great incentive to be out training. I always find my data, distance and averages incredibly interesting to track during and after training, making those long sessions that little more interesting. Active technology is expensive, however smart phones now have the capability to measure distance, speed and the like. There are many apps like ‘Strava‘ and ‘Training Peaks’ which are free to download and can be incredibly useful for a training regime. Using your smart phone is great but often not practical and that’s where specific devices designed for ease of movement and viewing do best. Check out the deals off Torpedo 7 and have a chat to someone in store to see what would be the best technology options for you.

New gear is a great little incentive to have, but rather than buying some new gear and then getting started. Prove it to yourself first and then go out and make the purchase. Having new kit is always exciting and will get you moving, but just make that feeling last a little longer.

YouTube

That’s right, watching inspirational videos of races and amazing athletes will pick you up and make you want to get out there and emulate them. So go and watch some videos and then get out there and smash it.

Route

Have you changed up your route lately? Maybe keeping it same-old-same-old is dampening your inspiration. Try mixing it up, adding extra and different parts onto your route. Perhaps you can even plan a couple of different route options and have them at your disposal. Utilize Google Maps, look around your wider area and see if there are any hidden tracks or roads you haven’t yet explored. Once you’ve exhausted Google, check out topomap.co.nz, for a bit of a different perspective. Remember though, not all tracks and roads that are marked are for public use. Sometimes I like going for ‘explore’ runs, giving myself plenty of time to explore the local track network and hidden parks. It keeps things exciting and interesting. Have an open mind when it comes to choosing a new route and you will be eager to get outside.

Buddies

There is nothing like someone else’s nagging to get you off your backside and moving. Training with others is fun, often challenging and guaranteed to keep you motivated. So if you haven’t been to the group ride lately, get back into it and enjoy the challenge with others. If you haven’t been a part of a group, do it! There are heaps of options around, especially if you’re living in one of the main centres. Check out Facebook and other spaces online, head out to the meeting point or clubrooms and don’t be shy!

Photo: Spring Challenge

At the end of the day guess what, no one ever said training, racing or just getting out there was easy. So perhaps you might need to suck it up a little, take a concrete pill and stick at it. You’ll definitely reap the rewards of your hard work.
So trust your itching to get outside or at least got some ideas to make what you do, a little more interesting.

See you out there.