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Lost my mojo
md6
Posts: 969
in General Chat
I have found lately that i have lost almost all motivation to get my ar*e out the door and do any serious training. I really don't know what the hell is wrong with me. I have another tri this month and then a half mara in October, so it isn't like i have no goal to aim for 0 i was hoping to run the half in about 95mins, but based on my lack of training and having done no speed work i would add about 5 to 10 mins on that now. Which i think is making me even less motivated...
Anyone got any suggestions on how i can find the love for training again?
Anyone got any suggestions on how i can find the love for training again?
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I usually find mixing things up helps - and training with some friends. Try mountain biking, running off road, a sea swim - anything at all that gets you out in the fresh air and enjoying it again.
You could try training at different times of day - taking different routes?
If the worst comes to it - buy yourself some new kit! Works every time.
Anyway, onto losing your mojo... I'm having a similar patch. Hasn't helped having a holiday, then a cold, then a stag do followed by another cold. Got my 'A' race on Sunday, my first OD, then got an IM to look forward to next year *gulp*
As suggested above, I've been looking at new training plans, mixing up my swim sessions, finding new routes to cycle/run. Hoping this kickstarts me again until my mojo goes missing again.
I like the new kit idea, but I can't at the mo as i have a bit of a budget deficit this month with booking flights and accom for IMCH, plus going on holiday in a few weeks and it is my neice's birthday and the gf's brother was over visiting so had to eat out a few times more than normal...god I sound like a moany git...
OK, new plan - is train trough the lack of mojo and see how it goes - see if i can't reduce my (best) mile to sub 6 minutes...only 24 seconds to loose
Just a thought - feel free to shoot me down......
Take some time off, re-evaluate goals etc then get going again.
If a race has no purpose it ain't worth doing.
I may have to join a club the serpies train on the river by the o2 so I may join them. I just had a quick speed session at lunchtime today and beat my 'new' goal of a sub 6 mile bu running a 5'49. I guess 5'30 is the next target. Or of course i could do something useful like trying to increase the distance i can ran at that speed... maybe...
I've ducked out of 2 swims this week, mentally I'm there ready to go but I just can't get out the door. I don't remember missing a pre planned training session ever, before. Rather unfortunate timing really as I've got my first od next week, I've convinced myself I'm tapering.
I'm hoping it's just the whole Autumn Winter time of year thing, I've got 2 more tris and the great south run left, after that I'm taking a month off "proper" training and getting the mountain bike out again, which I love.
COACHING
The coaching means I feel obliged to do the training because I paid for the coaching, so I don't want to waste money, and I don't want to have to tell my coach I didn't manage to do all the sessions he planned for me (and I don't want to lie either )...
TRAINING DIARY
The training diary is not for future consultation, though believe me it'[ s good for that. It's so that you have the satisfaction of jotting in what you've done. Nothing beats the sense of pride you get from flicking through a diary with 1 (or more!) sessions for each day!
INJURY
Another great incentive for training is injury. Sounds strange, so let me explain: when I get injured, I find myself really missing being out on the bike, or going for a hard run. So I use that when I'm not injured, and remind myself how much I want to do it.
TRICKERY
Another idea: like in a long race, you can block out thinking about the whole thing, and just think of the session in small chunks. Only think of one session at a time. And only think of small parts within a session. Ex.: I go to the pool, so I only think about kitting up. Then I just think of the warm-up (I say to myself "if you want to leave after the WU, you can..!"), and so on, so I trick myself into doing the whole thing.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
Last but not least: I find missing 1 session leads to more missed sessions... And the less sessions I miss, the less sessions I want to miss...
Funny how it works. Towards the end of a full on interval I "promise" myself that I won't do anymore: "Let's make this the last one, so make it a good one!". But then halfway through the recovery I say to myself "That wasn't so bad now, was it, would be a pity not to do another one". And like a fool I fall for my weasel words every time.
I seem to be getting some of the motivation back - coubld be to do with having had a great (for me) run the other week and that i want to beat the mile split i did, but also because i have my last tri of season this weekend and then a half mara which i want to smash.
That and the tips from here have worked wonders so thanks all.
Actually I think every time you chicken out in a training session, you`re setting yourself up to wimping out in a race...