Motivation
by Steve Lipe, PRA Vice President
Motivation is loosely defined as, the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. It’s enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative, determination. In the realm of walking and running, much of the motivation is self- induced. You are the one who decides if and when you are going to train. You determine how much you are going to push yourself in order to reach your eventual goal. This can be achieved if you train alone, with a partner, or with a group. It can be difficult to train with others and you have to make do on your own. For me personally, this has been an issue lately.
When I first started competitive race walking my motivation was to start getting ready for the next race, right after I finished the previous one. I really didn’t need to convince myself it was something I needed to do, I just wanted to do it. Next month, (September), will be the PRA annual Seafood 5k. This is the very first race I actually competed in. After I was told that I had placed First in my age group I was hooked on walking. I couldn’t wait for the next race, and the next, and so on. I participated in races every chance I could, everywhere I could. I did races in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, and Ohio. I’ve done them when the temperature was 8 degrees with ankle deep snow, as well as during a tropical rainstorm, and in blistering heat. I loved every one of them. I was highly motivated to do every race and could not wait until the next one came along. There were times during some races where I wondered why I was doing this but I would catch a second wind and push on. After finishing and recovery, I was ready to do it again.
Being around others who have the same likes can be very rewarding. Just hearing others talk about what they have accomplished, how long they have been in the sport, and what they have planned in the future always reignited me to continue to do what I truly enjoyed. I enjoyed going to, and working race expos, packet pickups, PRA meetings and events. I was always determined that as long as I was healthy and could put one foot in front of the other, I was going to continue to walk and be as active as I possibly could with the PRA.
I never thought I would ever have anything I could write about in this Rundown but I have submitted a few articles over time that I hope have been helpful and beneficial. I hope to continue, on occasion, to do more. I’ve always tried to focus on what was important for both the runner and the walker. Training is just as important for one as it is the other. Nutrition and Hydration is extremely important to anyone who is physically active. Even the clothes you wear, as well as the proper shoes and socks are all important in how you can successfully meet your goals. Once you have all of these in place your motivation comes naturally.
Like I mentioned in the first paragraph, much of the positive motivation can be self- induced. Lack of motivation can also be self- induced. This is where I find myself right now. A few weeks ago I participated in the Bushwacker 5k and it was one of, if not the worse showing I have ever done. When the mind shuts down, the body follows suit very quickly. This didn’t happen all at once but the last several races I have done, I have barely squeaked by. Maybe I need a break. Maybe I need to get re-amped. Maybe I am done. Right now I do not have an answer. I am going to continue volunteering in as many events as I can. That in itself is very rewarding. I really enjoy being up close and personal with everyone involved. I’m not going away. Hope to see a lot of you at the upcoming Don Macloskey Seafood 5k in September.
As always…”don’t look back, you’ve already been there”