motivation

hey,

I know running is good for me, I know i really enjoy it, I know the feeling you get after a good run is amazing, I know it relives stress, i know it makes me happy, i know it helps maintain weight, fight off illness and is just generally brilliant.

yet i cant make myself go for a run..

thought maybe was just a bit of fatigue and gave my self a few guilt free days off.. but now just cant seem to get myself out of the door.

i know i should. i know i want to. but i just cant seem to motivate myself!!

help!

anyone else going though/been through a similar phase?

what motivates you to run...?

think i just need to put my trainers on and go for it.... but am failing miserably!

gj x

I'm far from an expert, but

"think i just need to put my trainers on and go for it.." - isabout the measure of it.

Once you're kitted out jjust get out there and don't think about it so much before hand! One tends to build it up in yuor head as a bigger and bigger deal - just like with other things in life that we procrastinate over...

 If I haven't been for a run for a 2/3 days it gets harder and harder to get out of the door, so for this reason it is more important to 'just do it' as it's not going to get easier! I tend to think of how good and proud I feel after a run, and I'm finding it has helped to have a goal to aim for such as a race in the longer term. I'm doing my first marathon later this month, but you can bet I'm looking to enter a half marathon/10km beyond that so I don't lose my motivation.

Having said all this I've found a few days off when feeling mentally fatigued from the trainnig has helped immeasurably and I've actually slightly looked forward to my run..

I think the technical term for what you are experiecing is 'being lazy'
In the colder and darker months, its most certainly easier and more pleasent to sit in front of the TV and keep warm. I have the temptation to do that everytime I look outside this time of year, I choose to run.

Without being rude, you need to stop being lazy, most things worth doing in life are not always easy ! - Get out there, put your trainers on a go for a walk or run.. There is no cure you simply need to find  more reasons to run than not to.

Set yourself goals - e.g. a race or a target time etc.

No goals makes it harder. Then you think I have to do this or I won't meet my goals.

Squeakz - laziness is one answer, but the lack of motivation can have many causes. Depression, other problems, can cause someone (who KNOWS it is going to be good for them, and that they enjoy it) to be unable to get out of the house and face up to many things, and for a runner, running is one of those things.

This has certainly struck me before - I'm not generally lazy, but when this has happened, I have found it easier to 'hide' from running, despite all the benefits I know it will bring, including to the very mental battles I've been suffering from.

 So don't be quite so quick to judge. I know a lot of runners are 'achievers', 'do-ers', and scorn the concept of depression a little - I may at one time been one myself. But believe me, it's real.

.......and some people seem to want to turn every bout of laziness into a drama about depression!

I dont think the original OP was even remotely looking for an online quack's opinion.

DJ GJ,

Do you run with a club, or have a similar paced buddy? Either of those would be a good way to keep yourself in the runnign mixer. If you're relied on by others it can be harder to sack the runs off.

Have you had a recent big race like amarathon or something? Often that can leave you feeling a bit disenchanted.

At the end of the day though it's down to you to pinpoint the most important reason you run. Is it to race well, is it just the feeling after or during, or is it the social.

For me it's currently the quest to get as fast as I can while I still can! But in future I envisage it being about tackling wacky and tough events, and running just for the fun of it.

Geez Berger, if you think parkrun fan's message was fairly  abusive, you should meet the people I deal with day to day

Doesn't really sound like the opening poster is in a depressed way of thinking at all, mentioning all the positive reasons for doing it, saying how much they like it etc. If they were truly depressed, they wouldn't speak so positively about running and what it can do surely.

dj gj

 I hesitate to say this - but sounds to me like you need a lobotomy to get your head straight........

Alternatively, just remove your brain from the decision - and get out there and run!

I've been through similar phases where I can't summon up the motivation, and in every instance the best thing I've ever done is to get changed into running gear, tell myself I'm just going outside to see how I feel, and then go for a very gentle run.........

Good luck with it!

 GO

When I feel like this, the only thing to do is get out there, even if it's for 10 minutes. otherwise it becomes a big mental barrier. If you haven't been in 2 weeks, why go now, because it'll hurt etc., But it'll be harder to get out the longer the break becomes. Running is, to some degree, a mental thing and you just need to clear you head of the excuses and issues that are causing you to put off running.

I find that I need to have targets lined up, so I book the next race before I do this one, so that there's always one booked to do. And yes, I have started running, from scratch, more than once, so I know what I'm on about!

Alternatively, I remember a piece of advice I read on here (a very long time ago) which went along the line of "just get out there, you big jessie". A more amusing version of HTFU, but the same sentiment.

thanks guys,

you'll be pleased to know after reading your replies this afternoon i dragged myself out for a run i didnt go very fast or for very long, but i went and that's the main thing

thanks for all your encouragement and help.

have also booked my place on a couple of festive fun runs to give me something to aim for int he short term.

as for the comments about runnig with people, that;s a great idea, just worried i'd be too slow for a running club... maybe if i get myself a bit fitter and faster that will be soemthing to aim for.

gj x

I have just done my first run after a week off, I was having the same problem as you GJ. I feel a lot better for getting out there, but I know exactly how you feel

 You should try a running club, they usually cater for runners of all speeds. I am sure that there is a friendly one out there for you!