Find Your Running Why

I know the difference between being well trained for a race and struggling through one on little training. I have felt how much easier it is to run on a well prepared body versus one that took the cramming approach and trained at the last minute. Both bodies may have reached the finish line and received the medal. But, the body who crammed lost sight of the why. The well-prepared body is much more fulfilled.

That sense of pride and accomplishment when I get to the finish line, knowing that I put in the work to get there - there is a feeling of great satisfaction. If I put in the work to get to race day, I can be proud of whatever happens, no matter what the time on the clock says. I know I haven’t let myself down. I remember my why.

Maybe you are motivated by a cause. Many people run for charities that are important to them. Maybe you are motivated by an individual. When I ran my first marathon, I pinned a picture of my dad and me to the back of my bib, so that he’d be with me every step of the way. He passed in 2012 due to complications from metastatic lung cancer. When the going got rough, I thought of him, and I found this both comforting and motivating.

Whatever our reasons, the motivating factor is important. It is what we can look to when training gets tough, when we want to throw in the towel and nap on the couch instead of hitting the treadmill. Find your why, and you will find how much easier it is to keep moving forward toward your goals.