Here are some of my top tips for runners who are struggling with motivation during this lockdown:-
My top 5 tips on how to refocus if you’re feeling deflated or de-motivated at the moment
1 – You have to ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. Are you doing this because of races and competition (external motivation) or you doing this because you love putting your shoes on and getting out and getting after it (internal motivation❤). If you’re internally motivated then you will find a way to keep motivated and training and get a jump on your rivals and competitors who are flopped on the couch de-motivated as shit ?? who are going to get out of shape real quick ?♂️? Get that fire back in the belly to get back to the motherfucking grind??♂️❤
2 – Change up your training – Mix it up a bit. There are no races so why are you specializing at the moment. If you’re a marathon runner maybe do a bit of 10k work. If your a 1500m runner maybe go back to basics and do some hill sprints and get off the track. Freshen your mind and body up.
3 – Stay in routine – stay in routine as best as possible. Don’t wake up late and go to bed late ⏰ STAY IN ROUTINE ✅ Because this will create inconsistency in your training and mindset by maybe putting off training for another hour… then another hour and before you know it you’ve talked yourself out of training for the day?♂️?♂️
4 – Structure – You have to have a plan of what you’re going to do that day because we’ve all been there “I could do this… Oh I could do that instead… Oh wait I could do 8 miles… hmm maybe 6.” We’ve all been there when we are thinking about training and don’t have a plan and guess what it usually ends up by you getting overwhelmed by all your decisions that you end up doing nothing and beat yourself up about it. Then that mindset can become a vicious cycle. Why not have a plan or some structure to your week? Maybe you could try one of the online running plans that are suited to you here – https://fontanafit.co.uk/training-plans/ I’ve made these plans specifically for runners who are looking for a plan and structure to help them keep on track with their fitness and also stay injury-free at a cost-effective price.
5 – Watch, listen or read about athletes or people who inspire you – When I wake up some morning’s and don’t feel too motivated to run. I get a mug of strong coffee and sit down and watch athletes like Anthony Joshua, Eliud Kipchoge, Kevin Hart, Dwain “The Rock” Johnson or David Goggins. And listen to their story, their work ethic and how you have to push yourself to be great every single day, even when you don’t feel like it. People who I aspire to be like one day inject me with a bit more motivation to get out the door and get after it, plus the strong coffee helps too! Lol. I have also started a podcast on how to stay focused during this tough time “The Sean Fontana Podcast” on Spotify podcast, iTunes podcast and Castbox.
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/6sOWbG7fR64xOWwsqZezze?si=Akc4Nb3xQE-DZYBMBm6XTw
iTunes Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sean-fontana-podcast/id1509660461
Castbox – https://castbox.fm/va/2527085
Where I speak to Britain’s top athlete’s and talk about the highs and lows of professional athletics and the obstacles they’ve had to overcome to be at the top of their game to compete against the world’s best athletes.
I want you to focus on the positives as best as you can during this hard time. We’re in this together guys, let’s not let it defeat us or our spirits.
I hope this helps you understand that it’s okay to lose focus, we all do at certain times. It’s about how we can quickly identify that and then use tactics or techniques to help our minds get back on track.