You Train In This?

I am currently 10 weeks into marathon training. I've run in rain, snow, ice and single digit temps. I've run at 4:30 in the morning and 6:30 at night. I've run 6 miles one day and 10 miles the next and 16 the day after. So the question is motivation. How do I stay motivated to keep going in this weather? Well first, let's start by defining the word. I believe all too often, runners, and particularly new runners, use the word incorrectly.

motivation
/ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃən/
noun 
1.the act or an instance of motivating
2.desire to do; interest or drive
3.incentive or inducement


Basically, motivation is what I see at the end of my training. Why I am doing this? The goal that gives me my drive. Sometimes we seek from others the motivation to get out the door because we are "just not feeling it". Well guess what? I can't give you motivation. I can't give you the desire to run rather than sit on your butt. The motivation is inside you. You just have to decide what the purpose of your running is and use that to fuel your runs. You either have motivation or you don't. What can I do by continuing to do what I do? One is encouragement and the other is inspiration. I am inspired and encouraged by plenty of my fellow runners that know and understand what I am trying to accomplish. However, I seek no motivation from them. That, for me, is crystal clear.



My motivation is Boston. I made a decision last Fall that despite still being injured, I would train hard enough to qualify for Boston 2016. That is why when I post in the Club, it is always the banner at the top. A constant reminder of why I am doing this. That is why I will head out early in the morning or after a long day at work to get my training in. If it is cold, I adapt. If it is snowing, I adapt. It is pointless for complain about the conditions. I chose the race date and my motivation is clear. In the end I've got my eye on it and I'll keep moving forward until I cross that finish line on April 12th. And that, despite the weather conditions this winter, is my motivation.

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