How to Stay Motivated in Lockdown
With another year to wait for all us sporting fanatics, our summer viewing of the greatest sporting show, has merely been delayed, however for Olympic athletes, their world has been turned upside down. Meticulous training plans and daily routines now need to be adapted in order to ensure that they not only stay motivated in lockdown, but they are able to peak at the perfect time to compete in Tokyo.
Whilst Olympians battle to adjust their goals during this period, I am sure, like myself, you are also disappointed and disheartened following the cancellation of so many races and sporting events. However, this is now the time for us to look at the bigger picture. We will get the chance to train and race again, so why not focus our time on setting new goals for future. When we are able to train fully again, we can achieve whatever we set our minds to, our hard work will pay off and we will reap the rewards. Nevertheless, nerves can often surround setting the goal itself, rather than the actual process that leads us to achieving that goal. To be brave enough to say I want to achieve that, I'm going to achieve that, is often half the battle. During this time in lockdown, why not set yourself a new goal, a new challenge, that you can work towards. This should help to keep you motivated and it's sure to offer you a great sense of achievement in the long run - no pun intended.
I present, the importance of goal setting! Many sports enthusiasts, from beginner to elite, have a training plan with an end goal. This goal motivates us to take the small steps that enable us to reach our final aim. Without goal setting, I know that personally, I would lose sight of the bigger picture. For me, goal setting drives me to achieve things that I never thought would be possible. Last March, I ran my first 10K race, prior to this I had done little training but with the goal set, I was obliged to run the race. So, that's what I did. 6.2 miles of torture later, I had achieved my goal. Admittedly it was slow and accompanied by lots complaining along the way, but I completed Shrewsbury 10K. When finishing that race, I couldn't imagine that I would ever run that distance again, let alone further. However, just moments later my sense of achievement propelled me to set a new goal... This time to run 10 miles, before I returned to Edinburgh in September. With a new goal in sight, I ensured that I attended 3 club runs a week, regularly running 10K, before I slowly started increasing the distance. Hey presto, in August I ran 10 miles for the first time, accompanied by some of my favourite Chasewater Runners, chatting along all the way. Safe to say it was a more pleasant experience than the 10K race only a few months earlier. Now I constantly have a list of things I'd like to achieve, no matter how big or small, I always write them down, mainly because I love a list, but also because there is a great sense of achievement when you tick off that goal. Somedays my goal may be to simply sit down and write, another day it could be to make sure I complete my treadmill session. Setting each goal pushes me to ensure I take the necessary steps to complete it.
Some of my goals remain on the list for a while, it has been 4 years since I ran a 5K PB, but I will get there (I hope), with the help of some interval sessions. Others I tick off within a few months, like the 10 mile run for instance. Eventually, I'd like to write for a broadsheet newspaper and one day run a marathon. Setting short and long term goals definitely helps to keep me motivated. Voicing these goals adds a further element of motivation to keep striving and working towards them. A personal goal I have set myself is to run over 1000 miles in 2020, this is proving to be a great motivator at the moment as I know that I need to run an average of 20 miles a week if I want to achieve this.
At a time when there is great uncertainty and sorrow, setting a new goal can help to boost your morale and offers a short, but often much needed, distraction. Whether you aim to run 10 miles a week, or read a chapter of a book each day, any new goal can help to motivate you. Our training plans and end goals may not be as impressive as competing at the Olympic Games or winning an Olympic medal, but that's not to say our sense of achievement is any less when we achieve our personal goals. I know I felt like I'd won an Olympic medal after crossing the finish line at Shrewsbury 10K - gruelling hills, that's all I will say!
So what should you take from this blog? I hope that you take a little inspiration and a little motivation to set a new goal, whether you want to run your first 5K or complete an Ironman, commit to it today and remember anything is possible (after lockdown of course)!
Feel free to comment below and tell me about the goal that you have set yourself, no matter how big or small, it is sure to keep you motivated throughout our time in lockdown. I look forward to hearing about your new objectives that lie ahead. It is important to remember that the path to achieving our goals is not always straightforward and the goals we often set are not easy to achieve. We are currently facing an obstacle to the goals that we have previously set, however rest assured we will get there in the end.
Stay home, stay safe!
Speak soon,
Lot x
Whilst Olympians battle to adjust their goals during this period, I am sure, like myself, you are also disappointed and disheartened following the cancellation of so many races and sporting events. However, this is now the time for us to look at the bigger picture. We will get the chance to train and race again, so why not focus our time on setting new goals for future. When we are able to train fully again, we can achieve whatever we set our minds to, our hard work will pay off and we will reap the rewards. Nevertheless, nerves can often surround setting the goal itself, rather than the actual process that leads us to achieving that goal. To be brave enough to say I want to achieve that, I'm going to achieve that, is often half the battle. During this time in lockdown, why not set yourself a new goal, a new challenge, that you can work towards. This should help to keep you motivated and it's sure to offer you a great sense of achievement in the long run - no pun intended.
I present, the importance of goal setting! Many sports enthusiasts, from beginner to elite, have a training plan with an end goal. This goal motivates us to take the small steps that enable us to reach our final aim. Without goal setting, I know that personally, I would lose sight of the bigger picture. For me, goal setting drives me to achieve things that I never thought would be possible. Last March, I ran my first 10K race, prior to this I had done little training but with the goal set, I was obliged to run the race. So, that's what I did. 6.2 miles of torture later, I had achieved my goal. Admittedly it was slow and accompanied by lots complaining along the way, but I completed Shrewsbury 10K. When finishing that race, I couldn't imagine that I would ever run that distance again, let alone further. However, just moments later my sense of achievement propelled me to set a new goal... This time to run 10 miles, before I returned to Edinburgh in September. With a new goal in sight, I ensured that I attended 3 club runs a week, regularly running 10K, before I slowly started increasing the distance. Hey presto, in August I ran 10 miles for the first time, accompanied by some of my favourite Chasewater Runners, chatting along all the way. Safe to say it was a more pleasant experience than the 10K race only a few months earlier. Now I constantly have a list of things I'd like to achieve, no matter how big or small, I always write them down, mainly because I love a list, but also because there is a great sense of achievement when you tick off that goal. Somedays my goal may be to simply sit down and write, another day it could be to make sure I complete my treadmill session. Setting each goal pushes me to ensure I take the necessary steps to complete it.
Some of my goals remain on the list for a while, it has been 4 years since I ran a 5K PB, but I will get there (I hope), with the help of some interval sessions. Others I tick off within a few months, like the 10 mile run for instance. Eventually, I'd like to write for a broadsheet newspaper and one day run a marathon. Setting short and long term goals definitely helps to keep me motivated. Voicing these goals adds a further element of motivation to keep striving and working towards them. A personal goal I have set myself is to run over 1000 miles in 2020, this is proving to be a great motivator at the moment as I know that I need to run an average of 20 miles a week if I want to achieve this.
At a time when there is great uncertainty and sorrow, setting a new goal can help to boost your morale and offers a short, but often much needed, distraction. Whether you aim to run 10 miles a week, or read a chapter of a book each day, any new goal can help to motivate you. Our training plans and end goals may not be as impressive as competing at the Olympic Games or winning an Olympic medal, but that's not to say our sense of achievement is any less when we achieve our personal goals. I know I felt like I'd won an Olympic medal after crossing the finish line at Shrewsbury 10K - gruelling hills, that's all I will say!
So what should you take from this blog? I hope that you take a little inspiration and a little motivation to set a new goal, whether you want to run your first 5K or complete an Ironman, commit to it today and remember anything is possible (after lockdown of course)!
Feel free to comment below and tell me about the goal that you have set yourself, no matter how big or small, it is sure to keep you motivated throughout our time in lockdown. I look forward to hearing about your new objectives that lie ahead. It is important to remember that the path to achieving our goals is not always straightforward and the goals we often set are not easy to achieve. We are currently facing an obstacle to the goals that we have previously set, however rest assured we will get there in the end.
Stay home, stay safe!
Speak soon,
Lot x
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