Motivation in Motion
Being injured got me thinking about motivation.
If inspiration is the spark that ignites the fire, then motivation is surely what keeps that fire burning.
That pull to get out when it’s freezing cold, grey and pouring down outside. When you feel knackered after a poor night’s sleep. Despite the time demands of family and work life. The persistence, patience and optimism you need to struggle with an illness or injury.
High on Helvellyn
It’s easy when the sun’s shining, when things go well. Yet how do we keep our motivation going strong when the wheels fall off?
We all have times when things don’t go to plan. When life throws a ‘wild card’ and it’s a struggle to come to terms with a cheese that’s moved. The wind goes out of our sails. Motivation ebbs away.
When I started writing this piece, I was two months into a chronic achilles injury that just wasn’t responding to physio treatment. I couldn’t run a step. Now I’m back running and on the road to recovery. It’s taken almost four months, yet I’ve taken strength from others who have had even greater hardships to overcome.
Covid-19 has been a big one affecting motivation in all of us, especially young people.
Imagine being just 17 or 18 again. You’re motivated, training hard in Lockdown on your own, dreaming of that big moment. Putting in the miles running from home, using a turbo trainer or treadmill indoors. Succeeding in the GB Orienteering Trials, getting picked to represent your country for a major Junior Championship.
Then bang. It’s over.
At the last minute the GB team is pulled from the event. Dreams are shattered. Totally and utterly demoralising. Enough to put out anyone’s fire.
How do you motivate a young person after such a setback?
Remarkable then, that one young woman, Megan Keith, simply switched to a different discipline, winning the recent Under 20’s European Cross Country Championships in Ireland. Another gold medal to add to the World Junior Orienteering Championship gold relay medal she won in Denmark two years ago. What a role model she is!
As we get older and more experienced with life’s ups and downs, it’s easier to rationalise, to see the upside of these hurdles. Being injured for a few months was like that for me. What could I do to keep myself motivated? Maybe start seeing my injury as an opportunity?
Time to change old habits? Try something new? Every day that passes can now go into recharging my motivation batteries. Just thinking how great it’s going to be when the injury has resolved, running pain-free again, helps with motivation.
Running pain free in Hungary, August 2021
It concentrates mind and body overcoming challenges. Doing what it takes. Getting advice and treatment. The dreaded cross training. Strength and conditioning exercises.
No better time to set yourself a lofty goal or two. Enter an event in the distant future – in my case, the World Masters Orienteering Championships in Italy next July and of course, some of the Lakeland Trails events.
Sit down and make a plan. You can drop me a line if you need help or any coaching advice.
I could still go Nordic walking with poles in the mountains and on the Lakeland Trails instead of running, to shouts of ‘where are your skis’? Using poles is great cross training too, taking 25-30% load off your lower limbs, improving upper body strength and keeping stride symmetry, essential when you’re recovering from injury and have a tendency to favour the non injured leg.
The author Nordic walking October’s Ullwater Trail
And who would have thought cycling on a turbo trainer in the dark winter nights could actually be a perverse kind of pleasure? Additional aerobic, impact free, training hours too.
Reading, or listening, to books. Almost any biography written about a famous sporting person will reveal how they overcame their own hardships and challenges, over and over again. My all time favourite amongst these is “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.
Closer to home, taking inspiration from others by remembering success stories from a couple of the runners I have worked with. Witnessing first hand and achieving what was thought impossible, such as Jamie Rennie’s Bob Graham Round back in April.
Jamie Rennie with son Charlie training for the Bob on the Helvellyn ridge
Matt Jenkinson’s zero to hero dream of running the Lakeland 50 and the kind words he sent me afterwards:
“The goal of running the Lakeland 50 was born from frustration at a National lockdown affecting other activities, a need to stay fit following the birth of my son and the realisation that, at nearly 40 years old, I had never trained for any physical activity, or goal, in my life.
Ever.
It took a lot of work, and a lot of support and advice from Graham, to get me over that line. It felt like every single step during training I’d had to grit my teeth and remind myself of the goal to get through.
Snowing – tough. Can’t be bothered – tough. Too hilly – tough.
When I crossed that line, it seemed like every single minute of grind and effort was released in a wave of relief, excitement, sadness that it was over and personal pride that I had shown I could do this, mentally and physically.
I was a walking contradiction.
I told the lady who met me and my friend at the line that I was never running again, whilst also wondering when the 2022 entries would open again.
Do it. Find a goal, find the right people to support you ,and go for it. You won’t regret it and those emotions at the finish line will stay with you, if not indefinitely, for a very long time. And then you will need a top up!”
Matt Jenkinson, Finisher, Lakeland 50, July 2021 (and 2022 entrant!)
Matt immediately after finishing the Lakeland 50
Reminders that nothing really memorable or worthwhile comes easy in life. We need these setbacks to test our character, to see what we’re made of. We can all look for the gift in adversity.
As the sun sets on another year, there’s no better time to put our motivation in motion right now. Is there?
Happy New Year!
Graham
Graham Patten
Coach and Founder of the Lakeland Trails
2 thoughts on “Motivation in Motion”
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Thank you for this post!..
I am struggling to find my motivation, not because I have been injured, but because I recovered from injury, set myself stretch goals for 2021, and achieved them, much to my surprise. Now its.. “What now”? The post achievement mojo loss…. I think this is a common feeling, but wonder if you have any thoughts…
Hi Carol, thanks for your message. This is a really common scenario. The best way to handle it, is to create new goals in your mind as you’re nearing fulfilling the one that you’ve been working hard to achieve. Then, after a week or two, once the dust has settled, you can set yourself a new goal, start a new journey, and keep building the momentum on all that hard earned motivation. Good luck!