Staying motivated: the secret to performing and lasting as a runner

“Seriously, why do you run?” People who dislike running often struggle to understand why anyone would be so passionate about running and/or trail running. That said, runners do not always know themselves what makes them lace up, especially when they are new to the sport. Novelty makes training appealing, while early goals such as losing weight, running a first half marathon or taking on a bet provide enough drive to avoid asking too many questions. Sometimes, over the course of seasons, months or years, motivation starts to fray. That makes it essential to return to the original question: why do we actually love running? The answer to that foundational question can keep the desire to run alive, whether it is raining, snowing, dark outside or we are inexorably getting older.

Running simply for the love of it

“It’s a question I’m often asked. I love racing, but I love running even more. Long before I took part in my first official events, I was running 15 hours a week. Simply because I loved running. I ran uphill, I ran on the flat, I ran at university, I ran to the supermarket, I ran on holiday. Because I love it. Of course, I go through unmotivated periods too, but I always overcome them.” When Emelie Forsberg, an icon of global trail running, talks about her passion for running, it quickly becomes clear that racing is merely the icing on the cake, a bonus that adds a touch of adrenaline and spice to an immeasurable love of running. What truly drives Emelie is the feeling of wellbeing, pleasure and harmony she experiences when moving through nature, as if running nourished her. It is probably the purest and deepest reason one can find, and perhaps the one most capable of sustaining a long-term motivation to run.

Other athletes, such as Christophe Bassons, the former professional cyclist who now takes great pleasure in mountain running, emphasise the importance of practising sport like a child playing with a ball: reconnecting with the simple joy of playing outside, whether you run, ride or throw an oval ball, is the very foundation of any sporting activity free from overthinking. That pure pleasure is what truly anchors the joy of running. And if you took up running for a reason other than the love of it, such as losing a few kilos or relieving stress, you can still rediscover the pleasure of a child at play. The more you run and the more comfortable you become, the more you can simply enjoy being happy out there.

Intrinsic and/or extrinsic motivation

A pure love of running is a powerful example because it makes sport sustainable over time, independently of external circumstances. This type of motivation comes from needs, values or emotions rooted within us rather than shaped by outside pressure. It is known as “intrinsic” motivation.

By contrast, a second type of motivation is called extrinsic because it depends on external factors, such as running to please a partner or coach, seeking recognition from those around you or earning a finisher’s medal. The risk of extrinsic motivation lies in its close relationship with “rewards” provided by the environment, in other words factors we cannot control that can lead to disappointment and disillusionment. If the marathon you have been preparing for over several months is cancelled, motivation can collapse completely and training can stop. Why keep running when the goal has disappeared?

To boost motivation, you need to establish solid internal anchors, so that running has personal meaning, while also feeling in control of your practice, both in terms of content, such as the pace and type of training, and goals, with small and big challenges that genuinely engage you.

In practice: our best tips for staying motivated

✔ YOUR ANCHOR

• Identify what drives you when you run

Think about what you feel when you run: pleasure, wellbeing, a sense of freedom, escape or reconnecting with nature. This will help make every session feel personally meaningful. You will no longer endure your workouts, but experience them as moments that belong entirely to you and contribute to your everyday happiness.

➔ Practical tips

Before each run, close your eyes and mentally run through everything you enjoy about running. You are setting a positive tone for the session ahead.

During the run, practise moving meditation: tune in to every sensation you experience, from the wind on your face to the sun on your arms and birdsong, and welcome them without judgement. This helps clear away distracting, negative thoughts such as “I’m useless, everything hurts, I forgot to put the bins out…”. Your brain begins to associate the activity with pleasure, creating a positive anchor.

✔ AUTONOMY

• Become more independent in your training

Following a training plan or coach while feeling like a robot with no say in the matter is damaging to motivation. To stay committed to any activity over the long term, you need to feel at least somewhat autonomous and free to make your own choices.

➔ Practical tips

If you are following a programme from a magazine or book, adapt it to your lifestyle, your preferences and your current fitness. Put together a schedule that appeals to you and record it in a training diary, updating it as you complete each session. You will be able to track both your progress and your consistency.

If you work with a coach or belong to a club, do not remain passive, blindly following the group or the coach’s instructions. Ask questions: “Why are we doing this session at this point? What is this exercise for? Why do my legs hurt?” Get involved.

✔ FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN AMBITION, ENJOYMENT AND PROGRESS

• Set realistic, motivating goals that complement one another

To stay motivated over the long term, mix different types of goals and learn to adapt them as circumstances change: run a marathon, improve your ability to fuel during a session, get faster. Choose varied, achievable goals so that reaching them keeps your desire to train and commit to your sport alive.

➔ Plan a personal challenge

Improve your personal best on your usual training route, spend three days on a point-to-point hiking trip or take a week-long cycling tour. A “good” challenge should answer a deep desire and be both achievable and difficult enough to require genuine commitment in training.

➔ Set small daily or weekly goals

Build your progress step by step by setting milestones to reach. Increase the distance you cover, improve your ability to drink during exercise, run once a week fasted or descend a rocky trail a little faster. Regularly achieving a performance or skills goal fuels motivation because success is a formidable source of enthusiasm.

✔ DAILY MOTIVATION

• If you simply struggle to get out for a run from one day to the next, try a few simple tricks

➔ Set fixed running slots during the week. Choose times that fit around your family and work commitments. For example, schedule a 30-minute run while your youngest is at music lessons, or block out every Saturday morning from 9 to 10 a.m. and make no exceptions. At first, these slots may feel rigid, but they quickly become genuine habits woven into daily life.

➔ If fixed time slots do not work for you, plan the week ahead every Sunday

With a calendar showing all your commitments for the next seven days, mark out when you will run, even if it is only for 30 minutes, and make yourself stick to those sessions as if they were meetings with your boss.

➔ Cultivate positive thoughts

When the rain starts falling, when your legs hurt or when breathing becomes more laboured, smile. Focus on how lucky you are simply to be able to get outside on two functioning legs and move freely. Think, too, about all the benefits running brings to your physical and mental health.

➔ Create the conditions for a genuinely enjoyable run

Wear kit that makes you feel comfortable and good about yourself, run somewhere you enjoy and that restores you, or bring a friend along for a chat on the move. Build a run that makes you feel good.

➔ If you thrive on group energy, join a club or running community

Social media can be a good place to start. A group can provide answers to your questions, reassurance when you have doubts and motivation when a bout of laziness hits. You can also work with a personal coach who will offer individual guidance and keep you fired up.

Motivation is like a plant: if you do not feed it regularly, it withers and eventually dies. There are many ways to nurture the desire and determination to train. Choose the one that works best for you.