Motivation

I feel badly when I read blogs about runners who can’t motivate themselves to get out and run.  Though I cannot motivate myself to do MANY things, I seem to have no problem getting out and running.  I am very lucky – although, I’m pretty much dirt-poor (I’m serious), I have lots and lots of time to run.  I go to bed at night dreaming about the next day’s run.   Motivation?  I got it.  

Or so I thought!  Not the dirt poor bit, but the “I don’t need motivating” part.  I realized today, that every so many runs, I have to literally force myself out the door to get in my run.  I loathe the idea of getting out of my comfy bed, prepping and hitting the dirt.   I’m not motivated enough to look back to see just after how many runs this occurs.  I’d say, conservatively, once every two weeks, I DO NOT want to run.  Yet, I force myself. 

How is it that I’m able to force myself, when I can’t seem to force myself to add ONE page to my novel, or force myself to stay on a healthy diet, or even send out a resume for full-time work?  I am able to force myself to run for a couple reasons.  The reason most often is to avoid regret.  I don’t want to regret not running later in the day.  I also run when I don’t want to so that I can be in shape enough to run when I want to run.  And last, but not least, I force myself, when I’ve scheduled a run with a friend.  The latter is the most motivating factor for me when I don’t want to run.

Yesterday was a day at my folks for a big family gathering, so I didn’t get to bed until 10 PM.  And I was still awake at 11:00 PM.  I woke this morning at 5AM to meet my running friend, Sheila at 6AM.  We haven’t run together in such a long time.  I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to run with her, so I had to literally PUSH MYSELF OUT THE DOOR.  I was so, so tired, AND SO DID NOT WANT TO RUN.  I fought against cancelling because I wanted to run with her.  After gulping down a cup of coffee I left the house under darkness.

In the end of course, I was so happy that I made it (a little late of course).  The weather was cool as we ran up the steep Cholla Trail for a 9.5 mile loop in Aliso/Wood Canyons Park.  We had time to catch up and take in the terrain’s beauty.  Even saw a Mama deer and her two babies on Wood Canyon Trail.  I would have been so bummed to have missed this morning’s run.  The miles went by like they were practically nothing.  I’m not saying that they weren’t difficult.  They were difficult, and they were fun.  I arrived home with clothes drenched in sweat even under cloudy skies, and so glad that I forced myself out the door.

I was also home before anyone was even awake.  And I bathed before anyone woke.  Then when everyone finally woke up, I lay in my bed, closed my eyes and “accidentally” fell asleep for and hour and a half.

What a morning!

9.5 miles logged 

After running Top of the World, about ready to descend on Meadows Trail (notice the ocean in background is almost the same color as the sky)

Running the bottom of Meadows Trail, I’m in awe of the colors along the paved Aliso Creek Trail that runs parallel.

Mama and 2 baby deer in Wood Canyon (you have to look closely).

Route:  Canyon Vistas to Wood Canyon, up Cholla Trail, up West Ridge, across Top of the World, down Meadows Trail, up Wood Canyon back)