This page is in response to the question of what advice I would give to motivate people who want to start running or exercising more. For more about my running history or answers to other questions, check out the Running Background and Goals and Frequently Asked Questions pages.
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Don't doubt yourself...
The most common reaction to my marathon running is that it is beyond comprehension and not something that most normal people can do. Of course marathons are not easy and they're not for everyone, but it's important to remember that there's nothing genetically or physically special about me that allows me to do what I do - it's just a matter of long-term consistent discipline and refusal to give in to that lazy loser voice that dominated the first half of my life when I could barely run a mile. You won't be able to run a marathon overnight if you're just starting out, but don't sell yourself short by thinking you just "can't" do something because it's hard. If it's possible for me to accomplish what I have considering where I started, many people can achieve goals well beyond what they ever imagined.
Figure out a goal that works for you...
While the marathon distance has worked for me, everyone's goals and training plans are of course very different. For some people it can be a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or a 50-mile bike ride. For others, a marathon is just a casual training run for an ultramarathon of 50 or 100 miles or more. The media is full of stories of people who have run across whole continents in one shot, completed ultramarathons of hundreds of miles in grueling conditions, or other feats of endurance that would put any of my accomplishments to shame. Other stories highlight people running their first 5K after battling cancer or some life-altering injury, making my marathons seem like nothing. Whatever the goal is, the most important thing is to have a plan and stick to it consistently without excuses.
Be consistent and resist excuses...
I cannot emphasize enough how excuse making and lack of consistency are the biggest obstacles people face with exercise, whether it be running or any other activity. Non-runners often assume that since marathoners do so much running, it must be like a fun hobby or a passion that we can't wait to do. For some people on some days that might be true, but there are many runs that we just don’t feel like doing for any number of reasons. Sticking to a routine consistently can of course be physically tiring at times, but it becomes less so once the body adapts. That adaptation can only happen with the mental discipline to stick with it even when it's the last thing you feel like doing. No level of experience or resilience can completely silence that relentless “I don’t feel like it” voice inside all of us. It’s always there, but how well we fight it is what makes all the difference. That lazy flake voice is very creative when it comes to making excuses. Anything and everything can be morphed into a seemingly legitimate reason to slack off, so it's important to resist that as much as possible. The more you push through even when you don't feel like it, the stronger you become and the less likely you are to slack off going forward.
Sign up for races...
Signing up for events is a great way to set a goal and hold yourself accountable to keep that lazy slacker voice at bay. Before I started running seriously, I had always just assumed that people who ran races of any distance were “real” competitive athletes, not even close to a category I would put myself in with my loser mentality and lousy fitness. The elites understandably get most of the media attention, but the vast majority of people in most races are much slower “normal” people who are running for fitness and to compete against themselves for personal goals. For anyone who thinks like I did that races are too intimidating and elitist, that is definitely not the case. People are often afraid of being embarrassed by finishing with a slow time, but there's no reason for that. In fact, the last place finishers at many races often walk the entire course, meaning that even if you just jog a little of it you won't be last. Once you get over those fears and actually sign up, it's much harder to justify slacking off. You paid for it (race registrations are usually not refundable) and told people you're doing it, so not showing up due to flakiness will only make you regret it later. As exhausting as a race might be, it's very common for people to immediately start making plans for another one right after they finish. This shows how the feeling of accomplishment can feed on itself, motivating you to set new goals and make further improvement going forward.
Again, you CAN do it...
I know this sounds like one of those corny inspirational posters, but there is some truth to the cliche that you can do something if you work hard and put your mind to it. You might feel like you just "can't" run or do some other exercise because you have never done it or haven't in a long time and you're out of shape. You might not be able to run a marathon tomorrow or next week, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything. With enough time, consistency, and strong resistance to excuses, there is no telling what goals you might be able to achieve.
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This page is in response to the question of what advice I would give to motivate people who want to start running or exercising more. For more about my running history or answers to other questions, check out the Running Background and Goals and Frequently Asked Questions pages.