Since I lost my running mojo I have been trying to motivate myself to get it together. The ad above is my favorite Nike ad of all time and I had it up in my bedroom for years 
I thought I’d repost it because I need to reread it this week.
I tweaked my training plan and have decided to follow a 10k training plan for a few weeks. I haven’t truly followed a training plan for years so we’ll see how long it sticks, but I really needed something to help get me going again! At least I’m excited about this and am looking for a 10k to run in a month or two! (My first race was a 10k, but I switched to half mary’s and never looked back.)
A few of you mentioned that I might be overtraining and that’s why I’m unmotivated to run. After Long Beach I took about a month off of ‘serious’ running and just got in a few miles here and there. (I also went on 2 vacations over this time and didn’t really work out.) Last week I taught boot camp, since it’s a group thing I am not able to workout while teaching – so it’s not that I’m working out too much. It may be the earlier wake up call though!
I think I just need a new goal to work towards and a more well rounded plan. So, I’m using the 10k plan for now and it’s allowing more room for strength/yoga or classes at the gym.
Today’s schedule called for a 30 minute tempo run. I cut it short because I had to pee but then I found a restroom near my boot camp! Score. Running post-camp problem solved (it’s ridic how excited I am about this)!
Not sure if this “3” I’m holding up represents the number of miles I ran, pancakes I ate or layers I’m wearing… 
Actually, it’s all of the above.
Question: Do you plan out your workouts or just do what you feel like?
Ortholite Insoles Winners:
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Hi Monica! Reader from Europe here! I’ve been reading your blog for a while and you and all the other runner girls out there inspired me to create my own blog. I’ll be doing my first 10km in two weeks. That’s scaaary for me! I had to follow a plan, otherwise I wouldn’t have the discipline to just keep going by myself. Still, it’s tough! Well, I’ll see the results on the 30th!
Plan. But mostly because I’m training for the Carlsbad Marathon, and I am too scared to train for a marathon with just running how I feel. I think that would be a disaster.
I think a 10km training plan is a great idea..whenever I start to ‘fall out of love’ with running, cutting back always help! Right now I am running as I feel because I need the flexibility during this busy time of year and I also want to incorporate more variety into my workouts. That being said, I want to start training for something in January- it’s nice to have a schedule to keep me motivated and focused and I also like waking up and seeing exactly what I have to do.
I pretty much do what I feel like as longs as its some form of exercise for about 45 minutes. It keeps things more interesting and then I don’t dwell on it as much….Some days I’ll go for a run, some days I”ll go to the gym and do 15 minutes of 3 different exercises such as elliptical, treadmill and bike..
Ben needs one of these http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/prepare-a-message
I’m a serious junkie when it comes to inspirational ads/quotes. Most of my posts involve a tumblr image search, and I used a bunch of my fav running ones (which are of course some of the ones you posted) the other day!
I don’t really plan my workouts. It sounds awful, I’m a personal trainer and I KNOW how it should work. But I get bored and unhappy if I have to do something. I’m trying to plan my runs, at least the long ones, for my races in the spring, but to be honest my goal is just to run more and not get hurt. For me workouts are an art, not a science (I’m a kinesiology major, personal trainer, and fitness instructor so that might sound bad) — and I’m trying to be healthy and have fun, not get the best results/times/weights ever.
I absolutely love both of those Nike quotes! I have been feeling a serious lack of motivation lately too. Perhaps less sunlight and colder weather? I mean I live in Phoenix, so I guess that hardly counts as an excuse, but it certainly feels dark and cold at my normal running time to me!
Whenever I get a training plan I always follow it for a week and then I end up just doing my own thing anyway!
I take BodyPump classes, so those are at scheduled times every week. But for other workouts, I do them when my kids are at school or at night when my husband gets home.
I have lost my health mojo recently too! Maybe mine ran off with yours? I have been trying to figure out what I need to do to get my self back on track, but it been a real struggle. I’ll do well for about three days then fall back into eating junk and not pushing myself in my planned work outs. I have been trying not to obsessively berate myself for this, but it’s hard.
Thanks for sharing your struggle, nice to know I am not alone in this.
I totally have to plan my workouts, otherwise, they tend not to get done. If I go too long without running, I forget how great it makes me feel, and then it’s just a struggle to get out the door.
It’s funny, I just wrote a post about pretty much the same issue. I guess it must just be that time of year!
I have to plan mine out or else I’m just all over the place.
Love that Nike ad!
I don’t exactly plan my workouts. I just know that I expect myself to be active every day in some way. I know that I’ll probably do a long run on the weekend, an interval run, a grew group workout classes, and a few junk runs. The way they fit in varies. If I start marathon training in the spring, I’ll probably get stricter.
I’m always psyched for convenient bathrooms! They’re critical!
It must be the time of year, because I seem to have lost my running mojo too. I was doing well, and then I conked out on an 8 miler the other day and only did 4. Boo. These are great inspirational quotes! I need to print them out or commit them to memory or something! And I HAVE to plan my workouts. Otherwise, they don’t get done. Sunday = plan day!
I have to plan my workouts or I just won’t do them…generally speaking…but it’s always fun when I end up exercising by way of activities that pop up: dancing, disc golf, running around after my niece. 🙂
I need to be Bert about planning out my workouts– if I don’t have a purpose it’s hard to get motivated.
I try to plan out my workouts but for some reason it doesn’t always work out. I do try to plan AT LEAST going to the gym though! This way I have to workout because I’m already there 🙂
The only plan I make is to hit the gym on most days of the week. What I do when I get there changes, but just getting there is more than half the battle!
I need to plan out workouts, or at least have an idea of a plan before the week begins, otherwise it is waayy too easy for me to skip one (or two, or three etc.). Plus the planning lets me find more time to get in a workout like waking up a bit earlier to run. I definitely wouldn’t do that on my own without some sort of plan!
I try to put together a loose plan at the beginning of the week to keep me accountable. If I do more than what I planned, great. If I do less, I tell myself I have to make it up on the weekend. And who wants to do that!?
I HAD THE SAME NIKE AD YARS AGO!!!!! I was just considering baiing out of this afternoon’s Body Pump so thank you for the inspiration!
duh – YEARS
I second the trail running suggestion. Change of scenery and something so unlike running could be the ticket out of your funk.
I’ve never followed a training plan. I usually just run/workout how I feel but I am thinking of starting a plan this coming year. I really want to get my times down for 10k and 21k and I think perhaps a plan is a way to keep on track.
Love the last sign about saying tomorrow yesterday. Very true. If you want something badly enough, you must start today! 🙂
I get into a bit of a running slump in the winter because let’s face it…running in place indoors is just not the same as running outside!
I like to keep track of my workouts either in a journal or on dailymile so it’s not really planning, but I can see how well I am doing and usually it motivates me to work harder if I’m slacking. 🙂
I like the motivational pictures..and the cartoon picture 😉
I need to find some mojo too. If you find a place to buy it (as well as a money tree), let me know.
For all the years I was unable to stay motivated to workout it took a training plan and the racing bug to keep me motivated. I seem to thrive on a schedule. With that said I also leave room for flexibility. Some days I simply do not feel like running so I don’t, but I’ll go to the gym instead or do something else.
Good luck with your next goal. I have no doubt you will achieve it. I’m always inspired by your training and races.
Funny. I posted last night that I’m feeling lost without a plan. So this morning, I made one. I used the Runners World SmartCoach to make a plan for my February 15k. And I’m such a creature of habit that I run anyway…as in at 4:20 this morning even though I’m off for the next two weeks.
Love that Nike ad! I usually have a plan but lately I have been going by feel. I need to get back on a plan though since I have a 20 miler rapidly approaching! Yikes!
The only time I’ve worked out with a plan is when I was training for a marathon, but I needed it because I had no idea what I was doing.
I usually think about what I want to do the next day, but it often changes on how I’m feeling. But if I plan to workout, that’s half the battle. If I didn’t plan that out, I think it’d be hard to motivate myself in the mornings to get going.
What plan are you using? Can you post it?
It’s just a Hal Hidgon 10k plan
I plan my workouts in advance – if I’m using a training plan, I follow it; otherwise I map things out at the beginning of the week. I find it so helpful! Hopefully following a training plan will help you get out of your rut, too. Good luck!
(And I love that last picture. So true.)
maybe a new goal like a nice trail run could help you out. The training would also be a lot different too so your body would be working out differently. I was going to say you might have been running not too much, but too many races, ya know? Sometimes that kind of thing can overwhelm your body. But you know it best so I’m sure you’ll figure it out.
I definitely need a plan, or else it’s too easy for me to say “I can skip today and do it tomorrow instead.” Except tomorrow never seems to come.
Love that last photo – yesterday you said tomorrow. Sometimes it is hard to stay motivated, but I find once I head out the door, I have a hard time turning back.
I know you’re local to So Cal – any interest in running the Operation Jack 1/2 next monday in Manhattan Beach? Entry fee is cheap! and it all goes to support autism.
Yes, I’m interested but I’ll be in Florida 🙁