Living in the Southern Hemisphere, the start of winter may have been delayed but it’s here now, and our biggest challenge is staying motivated to keep training through the cold, dark and even wet winter. After all, it comes down to having the ‘right reason’ to leave that warm bed early in the morning, an hour or two earlier than you have to!
Well, you want to! We hate that feeling of arriving at the first race of the summer season, wishing we had trained harder. Or stepping onto the beach, wishing we hadn’t let all that hard work from the previous summer go to waste. So here is a selection of some simple tips that will keep you going through the next few months.
Set goals
Give yourself some tangible reasons for soldiering on. Whether it be a race or weight you want to achieve, make it specific. Set yourself real targets. Be too general and your focus will fade fast.
Stick to a routine
Commit to a time of the day, and days of the week and give it a month. It will then become habit. This then becomes more difficult to break the habit and skip workouts. But also be realistic with your other commitments – strike a balance that is achievable. Exercising in the mornings are also more beneficial as there is less chance of something else getting in the way, and it awakens the metabolism and senses – what a way to start your day!
Don’t go solo
Join a group (like my Sunday 8am run group) or find yourself a training partner, preferably someone who’s at the same stage as you. Being committed to a group or someone means you won’t let them down, and vice versa. It means you will head out. Making your winter a little more social helps your overall mental approach – you encourage each other, celebrate milestones together and generally push each other a little harder.
Pimp yourself up
Having the appropriate gear makes it so much more pleasant to train. For those early morning runs, having warm and weather proof gear will give you the opportunity to actual enjoy that run in the rain! Similarly, wearing correct gear such as ‘good’ shoes, also prevent injuries. Treat yourself – looking good on the outside makes you feel good on the inside, including what you wear.
Record it
Keep a journal with your daily progress – keep it as simple or detailed as you wish, but the important part is to track progress. This is a motivation in itself. Relate it back to your tangible goals – is your run time improving, are you lifting heavier weights, are you recovering quicker after the hard sessions. A journal also serves as a ‘lessons learnt’ manual, so when you refer to it a year later, you will know what worked well, and what didn’t.
Stay informed
One of the most motivating factors is reading material that just makes you want to get out there! Read books, follow blogs (like this one!) or join online communities that relate to your particular interest such as trail running, general fitness tips or a race report of one you’re about to enter. It not only serves as general inspiration but also keeps you updated with the latest trends, advise and provides new ideas to try out.
and lastly… Tune in
Upbeat music assists in ‘escaping’ and makes the session more pleasurable. Join a spinning class or workout with your own playlist, and let the music put you in a positive mood, no matter how miserable the external factors are. (Please note though, when running on the road, it is advised that the music volume be lower than that of general traffic; and don’t cycle with music at all – be aware of your surroundings!)
No more excuses – get up, get dressed and get out there!!
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