Staying Motivated with No Races in Sight

Written by Rose Wetzel on October 18, 2020. Posted in Goals, Obstacle Course Racing, Running, Training Tips

Let’s be real – many of us stay fit because we love to race and race well. Take those races away and it can be tough to maintain motivation. I applaud people who can push themselves to high levels of fitness without racing – digging deep at the gym or on a trail just for the pure satisfaction of it. I’m married to one of those – my husband, Tim, can SPRINT on the stepmill for 30-45 minutes, sweating profusely, for no reason other than to feel fit, vital, healthy, and alive.

Unfortunately, that’s not me.

I need start lines, big challenges, competitors to push me, and people to cheer me on. Maybe it’s because Tim, is the self-confident oldest of a small, normal, loving, attentive family, and feels he has nothing to prove, whereas I’m the 8^th of a big family of nine kids – the youngest girl – stilling fighting for attention and respect even as I (gulp) push 40.

If anyone out there can relate to my experience, going through a long period without racing is tough. We miss the thrill of it, the accountability of it, the celebration after it. I’ve been there – while pregnant, I was fortunate enough to be able run throughout my pregnancy BUT being able to run without the ability to race (at least not all-out) also meant I had to find motivation to get my me and my belly out of bed and onto the track or trails with no races to try win or no personal records to attempt to set.

A few ideas for getting through this weird time:

1. Compete with yourself

Create personal benchmarks, e.j. fastest mile time or max pushups
Do virtual races/charity challenges

2. Compete with others

Chase local Strava segments and FKTs (Fastest Known Times)
Go for a creative Guinness World Record
Enlist a friend in some friendly head-to-head competition

3. Take a break from competing

Do whatever you want to, including something new, with no agenda
Work on mental game, flexibility/mobility/yoga
Take an extra long off-season and focus on other priorities, guilt-free

Whichever you choose – good luck, hang in there, and have fun!

Aim High, Fail ‘Til Ya Fly

Written by Rose Wetzel on December 18, 2018. Posted in American Ninja Warrior, Goals, Obstacle Course Racing, Running

Do your goals motivate you? Do you aim high enough?

When I was pregnant, I set lofty goals for my first season back. And I didn’t hit a single one of them all year.

Not. A. Single. One.

First new mom up the American Ninja Warrior warped wall? Fell on the first obstacle, so yeah, not even close. Win the OCRWC 3k World Championship? How about 11 spots back (a finish place I’m still grateful for, but not exactly my goal).

But ya know what? As far-fetched as they may have been, I needed those goals to keep me motivated through my wonderful yet exhausting new life with a newborn. I may not have hit those goals in real life, but I got to visualize myself doing it a hundred times in my head, feeling the positive energy people dish out freely to those who win.

It’s not that I need to win to feed my ego; it’s just that as the youngest girl in a big family, I learned that performing well as an athlete was the most effective way for me to earn respect and feel special, and I’ve been training ‘n’ racing hard ever since.

So between holiday parties and enjoying time with family, as you start to think about your goals for next year, I encourage you to go big and aim high. Because whether you achieve them or not, you’re always better off if you go for it!