Running accountability and motivation. Show me yours.

With the continued lack of in-person racing, I’m struggling to keep mileage, run hard work outs, and include easy runs. So I need to hold myself accountable somewhere. I’d love to know what everyone else is doing. How are you training? What are you focusing on? What’s in your run future? INSPIRE ME PLZKTHNX.


So yesterday I did 3 miles of intervals: 30 seconds at 5k and 90 at half marathon pace. Then a cool down (which isn’t included here). 4udbv5lvrwm4.jpeg

Replies

  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Your situation resonates with me, since I'm very goal oriented in training. I suffered a serious bout of "training depression" during the fall after all three of my races were cancelled last year (triathlon). And I REALLY slid backwards after a foot injury sidelined me this fall.

    Finally, my wife insisted that I sign up for a 2021 race, simply to give me a training focus again. Her words: "You are MUCH happier when you're following a training plan." :wink:

    So I signed up for a Sept race (IM Chattanooga) and began following a coached plan. The tool we use, Training Peaks, is highly motivating for two reasons. 1) I'm a data geek, so the pace, fitness, distance, training hours and trending graphs let me track my increasing fitness and fatigue and 2) when a workout is completed, the garmin data is uploaded to TP and the entry color turns GREEN. If a workout is missed that day, the entry turns RED. I HATE to see RED entries, lol!!

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    So my suggestion is to maybe find a race planned for the summer,(maybe a marathon?) then go through a base and building phase just as you would normally. Whether the race happens or not, it might give you a focal point that helps.
  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,336 Member
    I registered for 6 virtual races this morning, the Run Austin Virtual Series, as they're free to anyone who is registered for the Austin Marathon. If they weren't free, I would never have registered for them. I've never run a virtual race and I've never had interest in doing it, either. I know some people enjoy virtual races. I'm trying to think of ways to make it more fun. For example, there's one named a Taco 10k , so I'm thinking about running it and having a taco bar set up afterwards like a big celebration. Signs being held up by family members, I don't know if they'd be thrilled to do it. Actual races, they have crazy fun at! I cannot in a million years recreate the exhilaration that the spectators and other runners bring, especially to the Marathon. Sadly, the full was postponed until next year.
  • MikeRunsDaily
    MikeRunsDaily Posts: 20 Member
    I signed up for a race for a smaller races in June and I’m running a virtual race across the us. Started in September and I’m halfway done. I’ve also set an aggressive distance goal for the year.4oqpnlsbqhig.jpeg
  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,336 Member
    Run Austin Virtual Series Race #1 The Wildflower Mile in 9:40, my first ever virtual race...

    And I'm trying to hype it up for excitement purposes because not in a million years would I ever opt to run a virtual if it wasn't free for anyone registered to run the Austin Marathon. Nonetheless I ran 3 Sunday Funday miles today and it was all good...!!!

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