4 Steps to Get and Stay Motivated for your Triathlon
You’ve taken the huge first step of signing up for your triathlon. You were super excited to sign up, and that energy carried you through the first few weeks of training. Now that you’re midway through training, you’re far enough removed from the initial sign up, but not close enough to the event. You can feel your energy dragging. You’re losing motivation to push through your workouts. So what do you do?
Here are 4 huge steps to grab that motivation and hang on to it until your event rolls around.
Step 1: Make a Plan
Having a plan to stick to is like setting rules for yourself. It’s much more difficult to back out of a workout if you know exactly what you’re supposed to do that day. To stay focused, set a plan. Make sure you include your direct workouts—running, swimming and biking—but also include some cross-training. This can be anything from yoga to kickboxing to a dance class.
It’s also a good idea to schedule lifting, rest and recovery into your plan. These are all essential parts of your triathlon training, but they’re very easy to overlook. Fit them into your original plan, so when you’re lacking motivation, you have a set of instructions to stick to.
Step 2: Take Care of Yourself
You’re a triathlete. By definition, you push your body to the limits. That doesn’t mean pushing it beyond healthy limits, though. Make sure you take care of yourself throughout your training. Remember to hydrate and focus on nutrition. If you have cravings for sweets, or need a boost of energy, taste something sweet but don’t overindulge. Sometimes even a little taste can trick your mind to think you satisfied the craving.
On a similar note, listen to your body. If you start to feel ill or think you might have an injury, slow down. It’s better to take it slow while your body recovers than to push yourself to a point where your body won’t do what you ask. Your body will take care of you in competition, so take care of it while you train.
Step 3: Mix It Up
Monotonous workouts spell disaster for motivation. Try to avoid doing the same routine every day. You can mix up your training schedule in a couple ways.
First, try to speed up your workouts. This will challenge your body in new ways and make even the same exercise feel like a new and different challenge.
Second, showcase your skills. You’ve worked hard to get where you are! Sign up for a sports league with friends, a solo competition, or any other athletic event that can show off the progress you’ve made when training. This will give you some short-term excitement before the big day.
Step 4: Have Fun
Motivation is a mental battle. Get your mind on board by making workouts fun. You can do that in a variety of ways—depending on what YOU consider fun.
- Make a killer workout playlist
- Workout with friends
- Find an awesome new trail to run or bike
- Swim at a lake
- Integrate games into your routine
- Wear a fun outfit
- Reward yourself for milestones (Massages anyone??)
When it comes to triathlon training, half the battle is keeping your eye on the prize. No matter what methods you use to get and stay motivated for your next big race, always remember why you signed up. Whether you’re crossing an item of your bucket list, enjoying time with friends, honoring a loved one or feeding your adrenaline addiction, remind yourself of your goals while you train. That reminder and these 4 steps will have you feeling motivated all throughout your entire triathlon training journey.
How do you stay motivated throughout your triathlon training?
