Finding your Motivation to train in 2021

As both athletes and coaches, it’s highly likely that 2020 was a washout, both in terms of competing and any goals you may have had planned. Whether you were aiming to finish your first triathlon, your 10th Ironman, trying to qualify for age group representation, or challenged yourself to set a new PB over 5K, the chances are that the event was postponed or cancelled. I certainly had these problems! This likely left your goals and plans in tatters and probably made you more than a little uncertain about what this year may hold.

Motivation can end up being a massive struggle, uncertainty really plays on the mind. Given the multitude of pandemic-inflicted hardships, restraints and stressors related to physical and mental health, this isn’t much of a surprise, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t have down days. But it is possible to find ways to reignite some determination and find some consistency in the hope that when racing returns, you will be positioned to make the best of it.

Here are a few things that might help you with both finding perspective and motivation for the year ahead of us.

Acknowledge your stress, frustrations, grief and loss.

Being OK with feeling stressed or frustrated is a skill. We have all lost something and the levels of pain will be different for everyone. It’s good to talk to someone – a coach, your training partners, someone who can listen. Before you move forward, it’s imperative to appreciate exactly where you are at.

Problems can be reframed as opportunities.

While it’s tempting to throw the baby out with the bathwater, have a hissy fit and train away your frustration, try to make the best of the current situation. Maybe you can take the time of uncertainty to have a proper break and switch off away from training, sport and the stress that it can bring. Or maybe with furlough, you can actually get more consistent training done at the moment. Maybe with more space in your day, you can do better quality stability training and strengthen yourself in a way that you hadn’t been able to previously. I am not a believer that all things happen for a reason. The universe doesn’t work like that. But what you can do is take the best that is possible from the situation – as long as you don’t sweep over your negative and frustrated feelings.

Broaden your goals

With not knowing when or where events might be happening this year, give yourself a broader scope with your targets and goals for 2021. For example you might be hoping to run a marathon in 2021, whether virtual or in person. You can consider your goals from entry level or maybe bronze medal being just to finish the race; the second goal or silver medal may be finishing under four hours. And your gold medal, dream performance might be finishing under 3:40. By giving yourself multi-level goals, the pressure of that simple lofty goal is reduced and even removed. It allows you to look at things in a more nuanced way and celebrate the little wins – even if you don’t hit your highest standards for whatever reason.

Do Something Different

Sometimes what’s needed is change. If you’re used to going out and pounding the pavements for your runs, try scoping out some trails. If you prefer to sit on the turbo and grind away, maybe spend a bit more time on the roads – or mountain bike if you can make it work. If you tend to share your goals with the world on social media, consider setting some that you keep to yourself and use the pursuit of them as your own secret weapon. On the flip side of the coin, if you typically keep your goals close to your chest, reveal your 2021 targets to a friend, family member, or training partner and ask them to help keep you accountable. These changes don’t have to be massive or earth shattering. But getting outside of your normal habits does a few things: first, it challenges how we view things (and ourselves), and forces us to grow. It also stops us being comfortable and actually helps strengthen our weaknesses – mentally and physically. Finally, but pursuing something slightly different, or in a different way, that newness can make us feel more excited.

Embrace Gratitude to Get Through the Grind

Of course goals are very motivational, but the very best athletes make the most of the mundane and the boring daily processes. You can choose to be grateful that you get the opportunities to train whenever you can – even if you can’t necessarily race. Gratitude is experiencing a massive glow up right now, and rightly so. Being grateful for what you have and can do is amazing and lifts you up. It doesn’t ignore the stresses and frustrations that you might be feeling – but what it can do is help lighten them. On a daily basis try to think of something that you were thankful for that day. It’s not about just the quantifiable stuff like PBs and record sessions – it might be that you got away from your desk for an hour to enjoy the fresh air, or that you got to ride in your nice new fancy socks! It’s about finding the joy and fun in what you are doing, no matter how small.

Set goals in areas that you may not usually focus on.

When racing is sidelined, as it was last year, it gives us an excellent opportunity to work on and round-out our skill sets and improve our overall abilities. A great example of this, is improving strength and believe it or not, you can do a hell of a lot without a fancy home gym set up. Another good example is working on transitions. It is very easy for a triathlete to set up a transition area around their home and use this time to really refine their ability to trim their change-over times. This guarantees that when they return to racing if they have maintained the same fitness, they still will be faster, smoother and less stressed overall.

Treat virtual events as your key or A races.

Virtual races definitely aren’t for everyone, and they aren’t the same as real, in person events, virtual racing can deliver the motivation required when you just can’t think of a reason to get training otherwise. Ironman have done a roaring trade in their virtual series last year, more race organisers are doing similar – and apps like Compete Impossible are working to allow people to set up their own virtual events to do among clubs or friends. You can set up your training to peak for your virtual event in the same way that you might do an in person event, complete with taper. If you’re so inclined, you could even buy yourself a medal and a t-shirt to commemorate it – but that may be taking it too far! All jokes aside, treat your nutrition and preparation as if you were going to be on a real start line. This will give you something to work toward, and give you a real benchmark with adrenaline included.

Reward successes.

Everyone loves to be acknowledged for their accomplishments—regardless of COVID-altered circumstances. Whether you get yourself an award that commemorates your particular event, or whether you reward yourself with new kit, or to help justify something for home, having a reward can help motivate you through consistent training. You don’t want to rely on external motivations, but they can certainly aid and assist you in getting out of bed or rolling out the door. Think of it as an additional kindness to yourself.