Have you ever seen the movie Groundhogs Day? Poor Bill Murray gets stuck in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Groundhogs Day reliving the same day over and over again.*** Like my friend Bill I am feeling like I am in a bit of a rut.
Let’s start by laying it all down.
- I haven’t run a race since the beginning of September and have nothing on the books for future races. (Even worse I haven’t run at all since before Halloween).
- I have absolutely no self control when it comes to food. (Boulder Coconut Oil Chips are my current kryptonite).
- My motivation for most things is at an all time low. (Heading to bed before 9pm is becoming too much of the norm in my life).
I look back at this past Spring and early Summer and I was running constantly gaining strength and speed. I was eating better and losing weight. Everything was going really well and I had the motivation to want to exercise and be healthier. I have no idea where it all went. Perhaps it was changing jobs, getting sick, or a million of other reasons but the motivation is completely gone and I can’t find it anywhere.
I can’t even tell you how many times I have told myself “I’ll just start fresh on Monday.” Then Monday comes and goes and I tell myself “I’ll just start next Monday, I’ve already screwed up for the week.” Even when I plan my meals and create a weekly exercise program I come up with a hundred reasons not to follow it and once again fall off the healthy wagon.
In August I reached my goal of running a Sub 30 5k and truly thought that would be my motivation to keep going and keep pushing myself but it made me a little lazy. I reached the goal I had been working for so long that I can’t even fathom lowering my time or running a Sub 60 10k because it feels like it would take forever and now I have put myself back in my training by taking so much time off. I know it logically doesn’t make sense but it’s where I am right now.
Since I currently don’t have any answers, I guess I am here to ask advice…what do you do for motivation and how do you get back on the wagon when you’ve tumbled off?
***Side Note: Being a proud (?!) Pennsylvanian I did not have to Google how to spell Punxsutawney.
The Jolly Runner 