Running Out of Steam

Spring break has come and gone and I have to admit I seriously lacked in the workout area. Sometimes a little break can be better for training.

However with the race only a month away it is time to get serious. Now I have begun the final phase of my training. These are the dreaded two a days. Much like high school practice they are going to require me to be more motivated.

I asked around the gym and various other places to see what got other runners motivated and their answers varied.

The top responses were:

• Not surprisingly bikini season was the most widely mentioned
• “I only have five more pounds to lose,” Clarissa Keith, 26, she has already lost 40 pounds and plans to keep up her routine
• “My son’s wedding is in two months and I really want to be able to wear my favorite dress,” Marinelle Cannaday, 54.
• “I have worked so hard, I really don’t want to fail now,” Christine Tyler, 19, a Maryland Freshmen who is trying to keep in shape for next years track tryouts.
• “I will tell you what, the only thing that keeps me motivated are my stresses. The more I get stressed out and yell at my kids or whatever, the worse I feel. I know running helps me channel my feelings,” Kathleen Verdi, 30.
• Most responded to some goal they were hoping to reach. If it was not for physical reasons it was for commits such as a race.
• I am motivated mainly by my impeding race date and the fact that I really want to feel that moment of satisfaction when I cross the finishline.