Monday Motivation
Thanks, InspiroBot, I guess I need to get those new running shoes I have my eyes on, so that I can be well-dressed AND able to run on a nice muddy trail like this...
Anyone who knows me knows I hate contrived motivational crap (hence why I love InspiroBot so much), but there is something to say for leveraging what motivates you to achieve your goals. I’m 5 years older than I was the last time I was serious about running, and (especially having gone through depression in that time) I know a heck of a lot more about what does and doesn’t work to motivate me. Here’s how I’m using an incentive -- new running shoes! -- to actually motivate me and not just be an excuse to get something nice and new.
Prove It or Lose It
This time around, I’m going to prove to myself that this whole running thing isn’t just a flash in the pan before I buy the new shoes. It also helps that I can’t afford them and need a few weeks to save up anyway. Over the next 2-3 weeks, I need to prove to myself that I’m motivated enough to (1) save the money, and (2) put in the regular miles to demonstrate that I’ll actually use these shoes. If I do both, then boom! new shoes.
Need vs. Want
I have a genuine use for these shoes -- my current ones are old, worn down, and not made for the terrain and weather I’m currently running on and in. Since I always run outside and it’s pretty wet and snowy in PA right now, I can justify this indulgence because it’s a practical one. I’ve had to slow down and walk on lengthy sections of the trail I run on due to the snow and ice. The new shoes I want are trail shoes with serious traction made for all-weather running. This will definitely be one investment that will help me run farther and longer over the coming months.
The Larger Picture
It’s all part of a larger plan, isn’t it? My secret plan is that I want to run a 10k in March and a Half Marathon in May. Tracking back from the half date, I realized that I needed to start training immediately if I wanted to be in shape and ready in time. Having that external deadline -- not too far away that I can procrastinate, and not too soon that I don’t believe I can do it -- helps keep the fire lit under my feet. If I want to be ready, I’ll need to put in the miles every week according to my plan, no skipping because I’m tired, it’s cold, I’m worn out, etc. I’m on a tight schedule (I already had to shave a few weeks off my training schedule) so there’s no time to mess around. If these shoes are the carrot at the end of the stick for the next couple weeks while I build a running into a habit and routine, to further enable me to reach my longer-term goals of running a half marathon this spring, then, hey, let’s do it!
I need them, I’ll use them, and they’ll help me reach my broader goals. That’s what I call win-win-win.
