Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog. Now let's get started by talking about how having a ‘why’ can get you motivated and keep you motivated.
So how exactly will having a ‘why’ inspire you to press on to the finish line, especially when things get hard? Well, consider this... if a ‘why’ can be defined as the cause, reason, or purpose for which someone does something, it only makes sense that the more worthwhile and rewarding the cause, reason, or purpose is, the greater the motivation will be to see that thing come to pass. Right?
To put that into perspective, I asked a few of my friends who are training for the Bass Pro Marathon for the very first time to explain to me (and to you) why they were doing so? That's right. I wanted to know their ‘why.’ And here's what they said...
Why do I run? I run for several different reasons. For one, I run for my health and to challenge myself. I desire to condition myself mentally, physically, and spiritually. I believe it is vital to continue to test myself and learn about my unique capabilities. Running has always been a time for me to think, relieve stress, and a place where distractions cannot follow me. I love to run outside to breathe fresh air because it reminds me of all the good things about life. Running also helps me to be focused, more productive, and have a feeling of accomplishment. When I run, I run for my heart, efficiency, strength, and endurance. Why do I run? In a nutshell, I run because I love the taste of victory. - Sean Wilson
Completing a marathon has been on my bucket list for a while, but it has always seemed like such an unattainable goal. It wasn’t until after the Ultra Sweaty Santa Endurance Run that I thought maybe this is the year I can do this, and what better race to attempt my first full than Bass Pro! I’ve ran the half at Bass Pro twice and the experience both times was incredible. I get goosebumps thinking about lining up at the starting line in a few weeks to attempt the full! Training for this upcoming marathon has allowed me to truly discover my “why” for running. As a mom, I get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that sometimes I don’t take the time to care for myself. For me, running is a great stress reliever, and I love that it gives me the opportunity to spend quality time with my friends and make some of the best memories. It also allows me to teach my two girls the importance of self care, staying active and healthy, and working hard to achieve your goals. I am so excited to continue my training and attempt to complete the Bass Pro marathon, but also to see what other big goals I am capable of achieving!- Randi Cicardi
I am going to say I decided to do the Bass Pro full after the Ultra Sweaty Santa event. After completing 21 miles I thought "maybe I could actually pull this off, why not try". I would have NEVER believed you if you would told me I would do this. Why Bass pro? Because I have heard that it is a really incredible race to be a part of and I am super excited about that. I have not done many large scale races and the energy at them is in a league of it's own. What keeps me motivated in a daily basis is that running has really taught me that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. It makes me want to keep trying bigger and better things, things that 2 years ago would have never been possible for me. - Gretchen Puett
Well, I have been doing intervals. I still move super slow though. It’s hard because I’m competitive but this really isn’t my year. I just am slow and steady. The Bass Pro Marathon has been a goal for a while now but I’ve been to scared. A friend of mine did one this year and I rode a bike next to her. It started pouring when she was like 9 miles in. It was so fun!! Maybe for me more than her. I just decided that I needed to do it. If she could do the whole thing in the rain I could at least try! I mean I have the ability to run and I love it. It’s also keeping me healthy and moving. I have to have goals to keep me moving. I’m excited but scared it will take me like a billion hours to complete. - Kayla Little
And I would love to share the response I gave to Kayla, "Well remember this. You are going to join the ranks of less than 1% of the population who have ever completed a marathon. How is that for competitiveness? By simply stepping up to start line you will have beaten more than 99% of the population!"
So if you're looking for a ‘why’ to sign up for your first 26.2 mile race, how about because you too will be able to join an elite group of people who can say, "I ran a marathon!" But hey, if marathons aren't your thing, check out why Jeanette Luttrell has chosen to run the Bass Pro Half this year; something that also puts you in an elite category.
My why is that I want to be healthy. Both my parents are on blood pressure medication, which is in part due to their diet and lack of exercise, so I decided that I didn’t want to live that life if I didn’t have to. Another why is that I want to be active with my kids and run around with them. And my last why is probably my biggest, that it teaches my kids that sometimes sticking to something/not giving up isn’t easy but it can have so many rewards. My kids watch me so much and will see me running on the treadmill and tell me you're doing a great job and they ask me to go run with them outside and say they run like me. So that makes all the running worth it and makes me want to do it more.
And last but not least, check out local runner Lisa Geary who will be volunteering at Dogwood Canyon and at the Bass Pro Marathon. We love our volunteers!! But that's a story for another blog. So getting back to Lisa... she recently completed a 10k challenge for the month of August. The goal was to run, walk or bike 6.2 miles every day for 31 days. Why did she take the challenge?
"I love challenges because I want to see how far I can push myself. It's a mind game, my body is a lot stronger then I give it credit. Several years ago I bought my first road bike, trained 3 days a week all summer to ride my first double century at Bike MS. I crossed the finish line physically and mentally exhausted with tears streaming down my face. It was that moment I was hooked. Next I wanted to run my first half marathon. Trained on a treadmill at the gym for 5 months and then ran Go Girl in Springfield. Just dabbled in running until my dear friend talked me into trail running and I registered for Dogwood Canyon 15k in 2018. That's when I met people that understood the enjoyment of pushing yourself. People who run are so welcoming and always giving positive vibes. Watching them complete their Ultra runs I became jealous and now must join the fun and bragging rights. I don't like taking medication and I think it's better to embrace the pain. I'm afraid if I cover it up with pain pills I won't know when it's something serious. My husband makes fun of me after I get home from running because it takes me a few minutes to stand up from sitting. I know that pain will go away with a warm soak in Epsom salt. I also listen to my body....if the pain is to much for running I'll walk or cycle. A body in motion is a happy body! Last year I was bit by a tick and caught ehrlichiosis. It literally drained the life out of me but I was determined to get back to running as soon as possible. I missed my friends/family and craved the camaraderie. Actually, you have got me on a few challenges, Ultra Sweaty Santa last year was my longest run/walk, and this past Spring I did my first overnight event with your 12 hour endurance run (Racing for Daylight)."
Do you just love that or what? Lisa has a lot of ‘why's’ that keep her motivated to run. But mostly because she loves challenges! It appears that every one of the runners who shared their stories love challenges too. In fact, each ‘why’ that was listed was a personal challenge of a different sort!
So if you're feeling unmotivated today, perhaps it's simply time for you to challenge yourself? Why? Well only you can answer that. But I will share with you three of my top ‘why's’ that keep me motivated to press on each day. First, I run to glorify the One who made me and gifted me to complete distances that others can only dream of doing. Second, because I can; because I know there will come a day when I will no longer have the strength or the ability to run. And since today is not that day, I will choose to hit the trail. And lastly, I run because it simply feels good and affords me alone time where I can experience God's creations—the sights, the sounds and the smells—at their finest; something that never fails to teach, restore and inspire me.
So if you're looking for your own ‘why’ today, why not start by adopting my number two reason as your own by making your ‘why’ simply because you can? Because truly, whether you want to believe it or not, there will come a day when you will have to hang up your running shoes. But if today is not that day, why don't you get out there and go? You don't have to run fast or run far, you just need to start where you are and say, "I will choose to make the most of this day simply because I can."
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