What do you do when you are having a motivation letdown? I have experienced many of these during my over 130 marathon training programs. On most of these I have rebounded, but on a few, I didn’t. Burnout and dropout are mental injuries. If you back off and adjust early, you can avoid major burnout later.
Here are some tips for getting beyond the mid-goal wall:
1. Reduce mileage and cut your workout days to three. Put a lot of easy walking into those.
2. Run or walk in scenic areas, places that really motivate you.
3. Schedule a social run with a friend or a group of friends. Tell him or her or them that you need help. Have a good time and meet afterward for a snack or meal.
4. Do anything necessary to add more fun to your program: after-work out rewards, special outfits or shoes after specific long ones, etc.
5. Adjust your goal event so that it is more motivating. Stay at a special hotel, get some friends to meet you there, or schedule weekend activities with your family (at events such as the Breast Cancer Marathon).
6. Sometimes it helps to choose another goal event and adjust your training accordingly.