Running a marathon is the commitment of a lifetime. Everyone knows how difficult it can be, which is why you need to do everything you can to keep your motivation high. If you can do this then it will become easier for you to achieve your goals.
Set Milestones
One of the first things you need to do is set some goals. At the end of the day, a runner’s mind is motivated by one thing. It may be that you want to try and get fitter or that you want to try and beat your personal best. Either way, if you can set your goals quite early on then you will always be on the right track. Of course, if you are having a hard time setting goals then this needs to change too.
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Ignore Times
Another thing that is very helpful to do would be for you to ignore times. Don’t get bogged down with time and training. Instead, focus on feeling better every single time you go out. If you can run consistently and if you can push yourself here then you will soon find that it becomes easier than ever for you to hit your goals. You need race day to feel like your victory lap, so make sure that you keep that in mind as it will make a major difference to how motivated you are on the big day.
Stay Social
One of the main, difficult things with running is the windy solo runs that you have to do on a Monday morning. Keep in contact with the local community if you can and even download apps such as Strava. If you can do this and if you can make the effort to get out often then this will help you to connect with your marathon buddies, which is great, to say the least.
Set Short-Term Goals
If you manage to hit 10k then make sure that you reward yourself with a nice tasty meal. If you have kept up with your training plan then this is great, why not go for a massage? If you feel as though you deserve a treat then you should try and go for it. It’s not meant to be torture and you should be spending this time trying to enjoy yourself. If you can do this then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get the experience you are looking for.
Don’t Just Run
Make sure you don’t just run. At the end of the day, running is monotonous, and there are plenty of other ways that you can stay fit during your marathon training cycles. It may be that you go and do yoga, or even pilates in between. You can take your pick here, so make sure that you give some thought to all of the options that are out there so you can make the most out of your experience. If you can do this then your motivational levels will be better for it.
Switch your Environment
Changing your environment is so important when out running. You need to change up where you run, and how long you run for. If you choose to work in the same surroundings again and again then this will make it difficult for you to enjoy yourself and you may find that your motivation suffers as a result. If you want to help yourself here then go for a run with a friend one day and then go exploring the next. If you can do this then you will soon find that it becomes easier for you to feel good about your workouts.
Read Quotes
Another thing you need to do is read quotes. If you run, then make sure that you look up people who have completed marathons, or even people who aspire to get more out of life. If you can do this then when you hit the wall, and you feel as though you can’t carry on any more, you have the assurance of knowing that you are going to be motivated by the words you have read. Little things like this can make a major difference to your run.
