Have You Lost Your Mojo ?

IF YOUR MOTIVATION YOURMOJO? FOR TRAINING HAS DIPPED THEN CHRISSIE WELLINGTON HAS TIPS TO GET YOU BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK

- Chrissie Wellington

IT IS RARE to find someone whose enthusiasm doesn’t wane occasionally. If you find yourself in a bit of a motivational hole there are many things you can do. For example, a reliable training partner can provide encouragement – while wet-blankets and naysayers are best ignored, or avoided altogether.

Clubs are great places to meet like-minded people and can offer a cocoon of advice, support and encouragement and are open to people of all abilities, from the novice to the elite. Or perhaps you could head down to your local park run event so you can be part of a wider, supportive local community, instead of exercising on your own.

Remember, too, that your own mind is incredibly powerful. I realised this during my time in Nepal, and specifically when I cycled 1200km across the Himalayas – encountering the biggest highs (literally – Everest Base Camp at 15,000ft!) and lows in the form of snow storms, sand storms, horrendous wind and sickness. I developed a huge amount of physical strength while cycling there. But while this physical strength can be transient and sometimes lost, I believe that the mental strength from encountering and overcoming challenges and hurdles always stays with you.

By that I mean that you carry with you, deep inside, the knowledge that you have faced your fears and conquered challenges, and with that brings confidence, peace of mind and self-belief that you can meet whatever challenges may face you in the future, during training, racing and otherwise.