Motivation to Tri

Motivation is one of the aspects of training and racing that can be difficult to find. I want to talk about this subject and how I stay motivated. Hopefully it will be helpful for anyone who is dealing with the "I don't want tos" (trust me, we all feel it at some point...) With the days getting shorter and the weather getting colder this is even more difficult. I will be the first to admit that I have an extreme dislike for being cold. But, the training still needs to be done.

1. Find something that you enjoy doing. I happen to love triathlon. If I didn't, I wouldn't do it. This is the number one motivating factor for me. I encourage anyone who is trying to become active to first and foremost find something that is enjoyable. I love racing, the atmosphere at triathlons, and the camaraderie that is unique to this sport. One of the things that drives me during the winter is knowing that the hard work in the off-season is going to eventually pay off during the triathlon season.

2. Train with friends. It's more fun to workout with friends. It also holds you accountable since other people are depending on your support as well. To be completely honest, there are some days that I would try to talk myself out of training if not for having a group training session. I don't like the cold or the rain, but I will go if my friends are there.

3. Follow a Training Schedule. It is a lot easier to do something with a plan. Having a great coach takes out all of the guess work. It is so much easier to get to the gym when it's on the calendar.

4. Make training a habit. If working out is part of your everyday routine, there are fewer opportunities to talk yourself out of going because your mind is set to just go automatically.

5. Set goals. This is one of the most important steps. You should have both short term and long term goals to see how much progress you can make. I make goal times every year. Sometimes I hit them and sometimes I don't. But it is fun to see how far I have come since my very first race when my goal was to just finish. My long term goals are racing in the Ironman World Championships and earning my pro card. Whenever I have a case of the "I don't want tos," I just think about what I want to accomplish and get going.

6. Visualize. When you're having a hard time pushing yourself during a workout, think about what you're going to do during a race. When you're in the pool, imagine that you're at the swim start getting pumped up. One of the most important methods for me has been preparing myself for speed work. It is difficult to push yourself to an all-out pace while doing speed work. I think about the finish line and ask myself, "What is it going to feel like when I'm in a race to the finish and sprinting the last mile?" Those are the conditions that I try to simulate.

7. Go indoors if necessary. This one is for less than ideal weather conditions. Don't train outside if it's not safe to do so (i.e. snow, thunderstorms, etc.) Find an alternate workout. Use a trainer for the bike, treadmill, indoor pool, weights. There are plenty of ways to be active indoors, so be flexible.

8. If all else fails, bribery always works. I had a hard time a couple years ago finding motivation in the off-season. I kept thinking "My race is so long from now, I don't really need to go to the gym today..." Don't do that. You can't cram for a race. Ideally, you want to find something that is a meaningful motivator and will help you reach your goals (Eating a gallon of ice cream every day for working out probably isn't conducive to achieving fitness goals...) I started a "Kona jar" where I give myself a quarter for every workout that I complete. This helps me save money for eventually going to Kona and hopefully help me qualify one day.

Happy training!

Any tips that you would like to add?