Motivate me to finish what I started - running

[Anonymous]

Help me please! A year ago I made major fitness changes as part of my battle with depression. Somewhere along the line I got the crazy idea that if I could run a marathon, a seemingly insurmountable goal, then I could conquer any mental obstacle including my depression. I've been running regularly for a year following training plans and ran a half marathon in the spring. I was lucky enough to get a lottery spot in the MCM and it has kind of become symbolic to me of my recovery (silly, but it has gotten me through some tough times).

So here I am two months away, all this work/energy/hope/motivation put in and I'm just...bored. I loved my long runs while training for the half, but this time around I'm dreading them (and the worst is yet to come). I've started skipping or shortening workouts. Part of me just wants to quit - I'm working with a therapist, I've made a lot of progress, I'm not on medication anymore...I don't really need to do this. But aside from feeling guilty for taking a bib from someone who really wanted one, I'm also notorious for giving up when the going gets tough. I don't want to do that this time. What's worse, my husband and siblings don't believe I can so this. They think it's a joke and a waste of time. The only person who really believes in me is my stepmother. I want to prove them wrong, even though I'm secretly wondering if maybe they're right.

This post got really long - I guess I just needed to vent. Bottom line: any suggestions to 1) help me stay motivated in general and 2) combat boredom on long runs would be much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

You should feel proud that you have done so much for your own recovery - congrats! Is there someone you could run with? A sporty dog you could borrow from a friend? New equipment - music, clothes, accessories - that might help? A new route? The weather should be great for much of the next couple months, so that might help, too. GL!! (And remember - you don't have to run the marathon!)

[Anonymous]

Take this with a grain of salt, but if I were you, I'd go through with it but not set any time expectations. So, who cares if you walk part of the marathon. But I think you may regret not doing it if you give up now.

[Anonymous]

I listen to podcasts and music, varying depending on my mood. I often will call a friend, and alter my speed as I talk. I also choose routes that interest me, ie pretty nature or interesting neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

You're an adult. You don't have to prove anything to anyone.

First off, I wouldn't talk to anyone about the marathon. There's a really great book on meditation, and the author says early on not to tell people you meditate, not to make it a "thing." Because then it creates this expectation, and meditation becomes an obligation or you feel guilt if you get bored or if you have periods where you aren't as into it.

Whenever you make something your thing and make it known to people, you open the door for their sarcasm or negativity or expectation or judgment. If it's something you do or are doing for yourself, it's best if you keep it to yourself.

The other advantage to not really making such things public is that the thing remains special to you; it remains your special little escape and not another thing to accomplish or to prove or to be judged about.

Once you de-emphasize the running thing, you will enjoy it more. It's when we build things up that we set ourselves up for disappointment because we start to judge what is a natural waxing and waning of interest.

As for dealing with boredom in running, try changing up the routine. Do some cross training. Do a combination of long runs with days where you do short runs but lift light weights. It will give you a boost when you do the long runs. And don't make the runs about "marathon preparation." Make them just about taking a break from the day. Don't focus on performance. And take the pressure off.

[Anonymous]

OP, I would take a week, maybe two, off from training altogether. The timing isn't ideal given when MCM is, but it will be worth it to your mental health. I trained with a friend last year for the NYC marathon and she hurt her foot about a month out. She was forced to rest and was worried about how it would affect her training, but in the end she had laid the groundwork and it was fine - she was able to finish.

For my own part, I was totally burned out by the time the marathon rolled around and wished I could have taken time off. It was my second marathon (first was 10 years ago) and I got a charity slot about 14 weeks out, which was not a lot of time to train. I packed in the training into a short amt of time and it was exhausting and I was so sick of it by the end but couldn't afford a break. I'm pregnant again now and hoping to run MCM next year if I can get in, as a way to get back into shape. My plan is to build up to about the 1/2 marathon distance, then take several weeks off to regroup, and then begin to build marathon level distance - hopefully this will stave off burnout.

In addition to taking a break, try to mix it up a little bit. Get a new playlist and a new route. Try to run at different times of day if that works for your schedule. Seek out a running partner or a running group and join up with others to have folks to talk to. Hours of running can be really, really boring.

If you don't want to do this in the end, that's completely fine. There are tons of ways that people find to prove their mettle to themselves and to others (ahem, natural childbirth comes to mind), and if this one isn't working for you, then just move on. And, don't forget, a half marathon is not something people just get off the couch and run. It requires training and dedication. I don't think you have anything to beat yourself up over.

[Anonymous]

If you really want to motivate yourself, watch "The Spirit of the Marathon." You can find it on Hulu.

I have mixed feelings about connecting battling depression with conquering a marathon. Depression is a medical condition. A marathon is surely challenging, but given good physical health, it's do-able (but by no means easy). But I sort of get it. If you have the perseverance to do a marathon, you feel like you can get through anything.

You don't have anything to prove to anyone - except yourself. If you decide to continue training, do the marathon because *you* want to, and there are a myriad of reasons to do one.

[Nicodemus]

Do it for you. If you have people saying you can't do it....ignore them. Is it intimidating? Absolutely. But you will feel wonderful when you have done it.

Vary your run. Try different places. When I was training for my Half Marathon something that made a huge difference was when I started trying the same mileage in different areas.

As has been suggested, some new gear sometimes makes a difference. Get a pair of the Brooks run happy calf sleeves. Something as simple as that can add a bit of joy and motivation to your run. Get a playlist from someone else if you run with tunes and try it out. Ya never know what weird stuff someone else might listen to that may motivate you.

~N~

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're an adult. You don't have to prove anything to anyone.

First off, I wouldn't talk to anyone about the marathon. There's a really great book on meditation, and the author says early on not to tell people you meditate, not to make it a "thing." Because then it creates this expectation, and meditation becomes an obligation or you feel guilt if you get bored or if you have periods where you aren't as into it.

Whenever you make something your thing and make it known to people, you open the door for their sarcasm or negativity or expectation or judgment. If it's something you do or are doing for yourself, it's best if you keep it to yourself.

The other advantage to not really making such things public is that the thing remains special to you; it remains your special little escape and not another thing to accomplish or to prove or to be judged about.

Once you de-emphasize the running thing, you will enjoy it more. It's when we build things up that we set ourselves up for disappointment because we start to judge what is a natural waxing and waning of interest.

As for dealing with boredom in running, try changing up the routine. Do some cross training. Do a combination of long runs with days where you do short runs but lift light weights. It will give you a boost when you do the long runs. And don't make the runs about "marathon preparation." Make them just about taking a break from the day. Don't focus on performance. And take the pressure off.

Great post.

[Anonymous]

You feel better, but if you make it through the marathon (even walking for part as a PP said), you will feel euphoric. (Even if just for 10 minutes before you feel hungry and sore as hell.) The start line of a race is, for me, one of those brief moments when I feel love for humans and the amazing things we do.

As for the long runs, when it got to the 18-plus mile point, I switched from music to things I could listen to for hours. Podcasts are a great idea (didn't really exist when I was training for my first marathon--I did books on tape). For my second, I ran with a group, and with 2 buddies in particular. Maybe there's a group in your area you can connect with now?

Also, if you're running every day, you don't have to. I have trained for half and full marathons on 3-4 days per week. I am never going to win one of these races so the training doesn't have to consume my life. But I feel really good and proud to say that I have finished 2 marathons. I wish you the best with yours.

[Anonymous]

I think this happens to all runners. I am taking a week off of exercising, because I'm currently bored of all my workouts. By tomorrow, I'll be itching to get back out there. Try little things like a new play list, a new running shirt/pants/bra/socks. Or try a new path - run on the hiking trails in Rock Creek. This fixes my bored frequently! Good luck! You can do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help me please! A year ago I made major fitness changes as part of my battle with depression. Somewhere along the line I got the crazy idea that if I could run a marathon, a seemingly insurmountable goal, then I could conquer any mental obstacle including my depression. I've been running regularly for a year following training plans and ran a half marathon in the spring. I was lucky enough to get a lottery spot in the MCM and it has kind of become symbolic to me of my recovery (silly, but it has gotten me through some tough times).

So here I am two months away, all this work/energy/hope/motivation put in and I'm just...bored. I loved my long runs while training for the half, but this time around I'm dreading them (and the worst is yet to come). I've started skipping or shortening workouts. Part of me just wants to quit - I'm working with a therapist, I've made a lot of progress, I'm not on medication anymore...I don't really need to do this. But aside from feeling guilty for taking a bib from someone who really wanted one, I'm also notorious for giving up when the going gets tough. I don't want to do that this time. What's worse, my husband and siblings don't believe I can so this. They think it's a joke and a waste of time. The only person who really believes in me is my stepmother. I want to prove them wrong, even though I'm secretly wondering if maybe they're right.

This post got really long - I guess I just needed to vent. Bottom line: any suggestions to 1) help me stay motivated in general and 2) combat boredom on long runs would be much appreciated!

This alone would make me complete the race. When someone does not have faith in me or thinks I can't accomplish something, it motivates me even more. I know this demotivates some people, but this sort of thing makes me dig my heels in and show them who's full of bullshit and who's not.