This past week has been a crazy week for everyone with the Boston Bombings happening and the deaths in Texas. I’m not proud to admit it, but I’ve lost a lot of the prior motivation I’ve had to train for Ironman. During the first 4 months I was getting up early in the mornings to do my workouts, now I’m pushing them off to lunch time or evening training. I don’t have the same drive as I did just a few weeks ago.

Ironman training can be a rollercoaster ride that is filled with really good days that give you hope and confidence to nightmare days  or weeks that leaving you feeling that leave even the fittest athlete discouraged and questioning their ability or reasoning for finishing Ironman.

From doing some internet browsing, I found a couple different factors can lead to a lack of motivation in training:

1. Over-training
2. Outside Stressors (other things happening in your life)
3. Environment/Weather
4. Nutrition/Lifestyle
5. Injuries

Everyone probably experiencing a little bit of all of these throughout their training. It’s important to deal with these issues right away and not let them effect your training more than they should.

A few tips to help overcome a lack of motivation:

1. Take a break. Take a week off or even 2 to get your mind right. It’s not worth struggling through training if you’re not going to be happy
2. Train with others. Training with others can always give you a boost of camaraderie
3. Re-state or re-asses your goals. Your goals can change throughout your training and that’s okay. Adapting is key.
4. Sign up for smaller/shorter races. Remember why you signed up in the first place (TO HAVE FUN). Do a race and just enjoy yourself.
5. Talk with others. Whether its your spouse, coach, family member, significant other or best friend. Talk about your training and how your feeling. Sometimes talking about things will greatly reduce the amount of stress and give you a different outlook on your training.

My training: Week 16. As you can see above it wasn’t the most pleasant week. It was a recovery week so my mileage was down a lot. This always might lead to feeling antsy about your training. My calf injury seems to have healed and I am going to start pushing my runs a little harder next week, hoping to get back to the pace I was at before. I was a pacer for the Oshkosh Half Marathon on Sunday. I paced the 1:50 group, finishing time was 1:49:50. Not bad if I say so myself.

My goal this week is to re-evaluate my training goals and take an inventory of where I’m at with my training. From here I can adapt my training moving forward. The down weeks always make the up weeks that much better. Just gotta keep your head up and re-discover your motivation in other places. If anyone has any tips that work well for them please share! Thanks again for reading my blog, 16 weeks in and I’ve had over 8,100 views. Thanks to each and every one of you.

Week totals: 10.75 hours

• Swimming: 1.5  hours
• Biking: 4.25 hours
• Running: 3.75 hours
• Core: 1.25 hr

#runforboston

Week 16 –

Tuesday:  1.5 hour bike. 5k run (@ Endurance House. Run for Boston) + Core

Wednesday: 45 minute swim. 4.5 mile run. + Core

Thursday: 1.25 hour spin+ Core

Friday: 4 mile run. 45 minute swim + Core

Saturday: 1.5 hour bike + Core

Sunday: Oshkosh Half Marathon 13.1 miles. I was the 1:50 pacer

Favorite workout of the week: Pacing the Oshkosh Half Marathon. A couple people came up to me afterward and thanked me for helping them accomplish their goals. Felt good!

Least favorite workout of the week: Got stuck inside on Thursday doing a spin.

Advice of the week: Your training plan is just a guide. You must adapt your plan as you move forward.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week: 2 group outdoor rides. Excited to ride with our training group OUTSIDE