People running >45 mpw all on your own, how to you motivate yourself?

My current motivation centers on 2 things:

1) Picturing myself running 14:30 for 5k

2) Picturing myself running sub-2:20 for the marathon.

That is all that motivates me.

I run 70-80 mpw, everything but my long run on my own.

I've been running a long time, but early in my career I just decided I was going to run every day I was physically able to. That changes the question from "whether" to "when."

What has worked best for me is to get the run in first thing, even if it means getting up at 3 or 4 am (as it has on occasion).

Honestly, a day without a run seems like a waste.

Read about guys like Bill Rodgers and other guys who did some crazy training. Realize that the spark in them also resides in you. That'll help when your out there to go the extra mile.

I've been soloing 90s for a bit now. The secret is to shut down electronics by 7:30, and be asleep by 8:30. Then I get up 4:30-5, drink coffee, take some doo doos, run, work, drink coffee again, and run again.

I have no social life and I don't care because women are cruel anyway.

What can I do? How do you encourage yourself?

First off, good thread. To the OP, you're the only one who can make that call...

Like others, set a goal first, whether it be to get out the door to run before or after work...one stride at a time. Set a goal race or race to achieve a goal, motivate thyself to keep going whether it be through competition or personal gain.

edward teach wrote:

Simple. I hate getting beat. Every person who beats me in a race makes me a little more pissed off.

The corollary to this is the former great runners that pack it in because they are no longer number one. They can't handle being beat.

Ever wonder why Masters' records are so soft? This is probably why.

Kudos to former greats like Rono who pick up the sport again!

gettinafterit wrote:

OP, 45+ a week is NOTHING. People are running double. Not trying to take a stab at you but just get out there and get it done!

It is not nothing. If you aren't a college student, have a family and full-time job, 45mpw is a lot. If you are a college student and aren't doing 45+, you are wasting an opportunity.

Signed, struggling to balance it all with 25mpw.

Any of you with a full time job that has long hours running high mileage solo (75+) and trying to go 14:40-15:00 for the 5k? If so how are you doing it? That's my goal this year and I'm not sure how it will work out with a new full time job. My hours are gonna suck, probably 8am to 7pm most days. Can I achieve sub 15 running singles or do I need to keep up supplementing easy doubles? I'm going to have to run at 5:15am, and therefore wanna be in bed by 9pm. I won't get home from work until 8pm most days so is it worth doubling an easy 30 minutes at 8pm and then going to sleep 30 minutes later or will that be counterproductive? Obviously my main session for training and majority of quality mileage will be in the 5:15am runs.

25 miles per week wrote:

gettinafterit wrote:

OP, 45+ a week is NOTHING. People are running double. Not trying to take a stab at you but just get out there and get it done!

It is not nothing. If you aren't a college student, have a family and full-time job, 45mpw is a lot. If you are a college student and aren't doing 45+, you are wasting an opportunity.

Signed, struggling to balance it all with 25mpw.

A family and full-time job make it tough, but it's not impossible. I'm running 75 mpw with 2 kids, full-time job and a spouse who works full-time. It means getting up at 5 a.m., tossing on a headlamp and returning home before the kids wake up so I can make breakfast and get them ready for the day. I eat at my desk while I work so I can use my lunch break to get a second run in on many weekdays.

I agree with much of the advice listed on this thread. Get the run in before work - you're too vulnerable to work stress and uncontrollable factors if you leave it to the end of the day. On days when you feel like bagging it, just tell yourself you can run as slow as necessary - get out the door and run 9 minute miles if you have to. A mile or two in, you'll generally be ready to get your planned workout in.

Be creative. Run commute, run with kids in a stroller, early wakeup, get rid of your TV, get off Facebook, whatever you need to do to carve out running time. If you can't find the time, make the time if running is a priority.

Nop2000 wrote:

agip wrote:

that's your problem - coming home and going back out the door is very very hard - try to find a way to run before you come home at night. Either run in the AM, run at work when you get off, stop somewhere on your drive home and run, etc...

best of all is to actually run home - that is a double whammy win win.

+1

What you really prefer getting up an hour earlier in the morning and going for a run half asleep to going after work.

I used to train every day, that way it was just a routine and I got used to it. I could even have a snooze after work then go. You need to race a lot as well to keep the motivation up.

Once you have a day rest per wk you end up taking days off earlier then missing more

Now I go jogging twice a wk its really hard getting out

Gotta run early to- I train as hard as a 50yr old can looking to break 3 in April.

Most importantly you need to get your routine down then its easy. I lay out my gear the night before and set timer on coffee pot. Usually in bed at 9. I live 3miles from lake Erie the wind and the snow are awesome.I have to run early its to dangerous with all the traffic after work. I normally run about a hour to a hour and half. Have to be at work by 7:30. I live close to a city park that is a mile and a half for one loop so I jog down there for warm up and then do my work out I have all the quarter mile marks memorized.

Some days I take another route into the city that has some decent hills to change up.

I also were a I-pod some days it helps get me moving. Make sure you keep your package well covered, some days the wind chill could be deadly on the jewls.Also usually carry some napkins in a baggy in case of a emergency pit stop. Good luck, once you get your routine down it's easy and fun.

Shooting for the same time and similar mileage. I work less but my totally time with commute is about 12 hours. I always run in the evening. I do a double in on wednesday at work and saturday. Doubles used to be 3-4, now they're always 5. So I'm close to what I used to be running with 4 doubles monday-thursday except I only need to squeeze in one double during thr work week and its not in thr morning. The hardest part for me is keeping up on stretching and general strength. I wouldn't run anothere at 9pm if you want to be in bed by 10. Any way you can run to work or to your bus stop? Stop halfway home on your commute for another run, if you drive?

sub 15 and full time wrote:

Any of you with a full time job that has long hours running high mileage solo (75+) and trying to go 14:40-15:00 for the 5k? If so how are you doing it? That's my goal this year and I'm not sure how it will work out with a new full time job. My hours are gonna suck, probably 8am to 7pm most days. Can I achieve sub 15 running singles or do I need to keep up supplementing easy doubles? I'm going to have to run at 5:15am, and therefore wanna be in bed by 9pm. I won't get home from work until 8pm most days so is it worth doubling an easy 30 minutes at 8pm and then going to sleep 30 minutes later or will that be counterproductive? Obviously my main session for training and majority of quality mileage will be in the 5:15am runs.

Unfortunately can't work in another run really since there's no time to run at lunch and I am commuting by public transit.

What made you decide to run in evenings instead of morning? Just works out better for your schedule? I'm tempted to switch to evenings, I could, but I think it will be safer to get my main workout/run done in the morning in case anything comes up after work such as an event I need to attend.

Curious to know what an example schedule of weekly training would be for you if you don't mind.

sub 15 and full time wrote:

Any of you with a full time job that has long hours running high mileage solo (75+) and trying to go 14:40-15:00 for the 5k? If so how are you doing it? That's my goal this year and I'm not sure how it will work out with a new full time job. My hours are gonna suck, probably 8am to 7pm most days. Can I achieve sub 15 running singles or do I need to keep up supplementing easy doubles? I'm going to have to run at 5:15am, and therefore wanna be in bed by 9pm. I won't get home from work until 8pm most days so is it worth doubling an easy 30 minutes at 8pm and then going to sleep 30 minutes later or will that be counterproductive? Obviously my main session for training and majority of quality mileage will be in the 5:15am runs.

your problem is you assume you absolutely need 8 hours of sleep. Unfortunately your job isn't full time, its full time and then some. This extra work you are doing needs to come out of sleep if you want to run well.

Sample week from when I'm running my max mileage; if running lower I cut back on the AM runs to 8-10 miles and sleep in a little bit.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:

5 AM: Wake up, eat banana, get dressed, go number 2

5:30: 12 mile run on way to work

7:00 Stretch, roll-out, core in gym at work

7:30 Quick shower and breakfast

8:00 Start work day

5:30 PM 5 mile run home

6:30 dinner

9:00 bed

Wednesday: same as above, but go short in morning, and do workout in the evening on way home (either stop at track nearby, do hills, fartlek, tempo - I have some different routes I can use).

Sat: 12 mi in the morning, 5 in the afternoon. Maybe some sort of workout Sat morning (depends on the week)

Sun: 18 mi long run

120 miles total, 40+ hr workweek, 8 hr sleep/night. 28 years old and single. I realize I won't be able to keep this up if/when I have have a family. But if you're in my situation, it's just a matter of what your priorities are, and arranging your routine to fit those priorities. Live like a clock.

Run first thing in the morning. Create a schedule that lets you do that. I've switched almost all my running to the AM. Get that big cup of coffee in you, get to be early the night before, and you can do it.

I find that when I put off my run until late in the day, there are any number of reasons--including low energy--to just bag it.

If you must run after work, in the evenings, then make a point of having some caffeine late in the afternoon.

That's an awesome sample week dude. Some serious commitment you got going on there. My hats off to you. What are you PRs and what are your main goals right now? Being 28 and putting in 120 miles a week is no joke so I'm wondering if you're sub elite?

Thanks!

1:05:40 in the half (Nov 2014), shooting for sub 1:05 at Houston. We'll see...

I hate getting up early to run. My gf doesn't really want to go to bed at 9PM so that I can get up at 5.

I'll just suck it up and put in the miles. Some great words of support and wisdom here. Shout-out to Xenonscreams, Small Town, rennur tsaf, and most of all, Bobby1.

I think my issue is that I race my work-outs, which leaves me burnt out and always craving a day off. I need to not be impatient and slow down my cool-downs as well. I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I don't race work-outs, but I think my zones are a little screwed up.

I think I need to focus on the right things.. getting fast. And if I train smart, I'll still have the energy for gf, hobbies, friends. It's not like I hit 50mpw and I'm an active couch potato from then on.