Finding Motivation

Finding motivation to maintain my running schedule can be difficult. Once a month, I get my Runners World magazine. Usually, just a few articles is enough to get me out on the streets for at least one week. In the recent installment, a list of motivational tips and tools were provided. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Create a Blog - well I did this even before reading the suggestion. I feel one up already.
12. Every mile you run burns about 100 calories - this means you can think about a piece of pie or cheesburger and prepay in miles. Nice, only 9 miles for three slices of pizza.
59. You almost always feel better after a run than before. I agree with this, I sometimes torture myself over going or not going. But I always feel better after, even if I don't do everything I want on the run.
7. Sign up now - they recommend signing up for a destination winter marathon. But just signing up for the Broad Street Run (10 miles of fun) has given me the motivation to meet my weekly goals. I know I won't even finish in the top half for my age group, but I'll be out there.
46. Pay Yourself - I like this one, every time you reach your goals put some money in a jar. Then after a few months buy yourself something, hopefully running related, (new pedometer, shorts, shoes what ever tickles you.) I think I will go with one of those wristwatch shoe clip things for about 200.
75. Run an errand - I have done this, return a video to the store on foot, about 2 miles from my house, not too bad (a 4 mile round tripper). I think getting milk might be hard with this but what ever works, right?
40. Its not too late to salvage New Years resolutions, damn right.

Just a few of my favorites, there are 100 listed. They give lots of books to read as well, I will recommend one as well. Ultra-Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes. Mr. Karnazes is remarkable he has run 50 marathons in 50 days and runs hundreds of miles at a time. When I am having a hard time with motivation, I ask myself what Dean is doing? The answer is probably running, so I run my 4 miles knowing that Dean is shaming me, but it helps get me out the door.

This week's totals

Tu = 5
W= 3.5
Sa = 3
Su = 6