Staying Motivated and Keep going.

How to Stay Motivated and Keep Going.

I had a couple of topics in mind for my next blog entry, but I felt that given the current global situation I thought I'd talk a bit about how I keep myself going and get my challenges done.

Now given everything that's going on with the UK and many other countries on lockdown it and all the news being bad can be difficult to stay motivated. Especially with only being allowed out once a day! And that's just in the UK with some countries being on full home lockdown!

I usually do most of my running on a treadmill as it eases the impact on the knees and shins which I have had problems with in the past. So, with the gym being closed due to Covid-19 this has been quite a change for me and I had my doubts about being able to go out running on a daily basis. However so far, I have managed to get out regularly and have ran every day this week.

Obviously with a lot of the challenges having deadlines that does help keep me motivated because if you don't do it then you lose out but what helps to keep me going when I'm out running, or even on the treadmill, is letting my mind wonder and not actually to focus on the running itself. I find that if I'm focusing too much on how I'm running or my pace etc, then I struggle more and start to tire and ache sooner. However, if I'm getting in the zone, just listening to my music and drifting off a little then I find the time goes much quicker and the distance is easier to cover. I think this is a lot to do with "Mind over matter". It's an old saying and one that everyone has heard but it really is true and is my mantra when I'm running. If I find that I'm struggling on a run or if I need to complete that extra mile, I tell myself "mind over matter" to keep me going. If I'm out for a run and I'm tiring I'll think "just get to the next lamp post" and when I get there I think "ok, just until the end of the of this song" and so-on so I can get the distance completed.

So, with everything going on at the minute, it is important to use the little motivation points to keep going.It's also important to adapt to and find new ways to exercise and complete our challenges. I recently posted a link to a guy in France who was unable to compete in a marathon due to Covid-19. Did that stop him? Of course not! He spent just under seven hours completing it on his 23 foot balcony. That's 6,015 lengths of his balcony! That's a great example of mind over matter.

So that's what it's about at the minute, adapting, staying motivated and putting your mind over matter!

I've just hit my bronze member level and have enough challenges line up to hit silver over the next few months. That should keep me going! Hope 

What are your tips and tricks that keep you moving?