Motivation during these dark and miserable days

running
(Olivia) #1

I’m currently struggling to get back into a running routine.
Right now; it’s just above freezing, the sky is dark grey and when I’ll get back home from work it will be pitch black and even colder and possibly rainy. I cannot find the energy to do anything other than sitting on the sofa, watching Netflix, eating and sipping on tea when I get back from work these days.
My only strategy to motivate myself is to place (in the morning before I leave for work) my running gear in the middle of the entrance hall with a sign welcoming me with: “GO RUNNING! You know you’ll feel better afterwards”
Do you have any other ways to motivate yourself? I could use some tips and tricks.

(Doug) #2

Hi Olivia. :slightly_smiling_face: I once was a steady runner. What you do was very important for me - when I had put on my running shoes and gone out the door, all was well. Getting to that point was the struggle.

It was also motivating to not “break my string,” to run every day. Best I ever did was 81 days in a row. 1987…

I wish I had something magic to say, but it’s a matter of overcoming our own inner resistance. We know it’s good, that we want to do it, and as you say - we will feel better afterwards. So then…

Cold and rain - the winter of 1986, in the western U.S. state of Idaho, I went for a run after work. The weather had been cold and dry, no snow on the ground, the air temperature right about 0°C or 32°F. I felt good and was going to run out from the hotel for 40 minutes then turn around, a long run that day - 10 miles/16 km or maybe a little more.

It started raining when the timer on my watch was at 39 minutes. “Oh well, no big deal…” And… then it began to freeze. Freezing rain, the road turning to ice. Small hills on the route, enough to make it extra treacherous - could not really run, more of a walk, and just trying to not fall down. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes to get back to the hotel.

#3

I am a blind follower, for good or bad, and will follow a program to the letter. Maybe download a 5k, 10k, etc. program and Just Do It.

#4

This ^^^^^

(KCKO, KCFO) #5

Maybe stream some youtube workouts. Jessicasmithtv had all kinds of workouts, if you can’t run then at least do some indoor walking, marching videos.

I live on the Front Range of CO and it gets very dark early and cold, so I don’t go out much at night. But I do go out during the warmest time of day, which is usually around noon to 1 PM, maybe you can at least get a good power walk session in, instead of doing lunch around mid day?

(Marie Dantoni) #6

when its too cold to play outside I put on Tina Turner grab some weights and become a dancing fool.

(Olivia) #7

Reading that account made me shiver at my desk. So, I plucked up the courage yesterday, switched to autopilot and went for a run. It, as always, felt good and not so very cold.
I have a similar thing with not “breaking a string”. You just have to get a good habit going. However, in the past, if I break “the string” or “steak” I’ll utterly lose the habit. This happens to me with everything: running, weight lifting, meditation, writing in my diary, counting calories, keto, tracking my expenses. It’s really quite irrational and frustrating.
Anyway, enough with the whinging – I’ll work on maintaining that streak tonight.

(Olivia) #8

I sometimes walk to the supermarket at lunchtime via our cities castle grounds. Walking never seems to require a mental fight. However, I also don’t get that elevated feeling or the feeling of accomplishment from walking and workout-videos, which I get with running.

(Doug) #9

We need to know ourselves. We all have our idiosyncrasies, quirks, tendencies, etc. I can be excessive/compulsive about a lot of stuff. Might as well have it be stuff that’s good for me, rather than bad. :smile: --> easy to say.

We can say what we want for our long term good and happiness, but I think there are different levels of knowing here. When we truly know something is when we do it.

(Allie) #10

Just stubborn determination here.
I may struggle to get out of bed each morning, but never miss my gym session.

(Doug) #11

That’s the deal, Allie. Just doing it. Most good writers do the same - they put in their time every day or most days of the week as they’ve determined their schedule. The mind has a huge arsenal of tricks, excuses, rationalizations, fears, etc., that will work against it. Where do our priorities lie?

(Allie) #12

Exactly @OldDoug
Habits are like muscles, the more you make them work, the stronger they get.

(Doug) #13

:slightly_smiling_face: Yes, Allie - so that question of motivation is oh so real. How do we get to that point of reinforcing our good habits? Probably going to start chasing my own tail around the philosophical table…

I have lived for excess, drink a lot, eat more meat than anybody, not follow the rules, not be a wimp, go my own way, not be boring, staid, etc. Some of us are forever adolescents, I guess.