Dedication over Motivation

When I was at around mile six of my fourteen-mile treadmill session yesterday, I became acutely aware that I was not motivated to be there. The treadmill has that effect on me. Any other time of the year I would have shut it down and called it at 10k. But not now. I'm in the middle of a sixteen-week training program for my next marathon. Although I wasn't motivated to be there, I was dedicated to reaching my training target. Now, I know I didn't have to hit those fourteen miles exactly. Time and effort are the key metric for stressing the body for these endurance events, but that's not the point. I told myself I was going to go fourteen when I started, and I wasn't going to let temporary feelings derail me from hitting a set goal. This is important for all of us to remember if we are to be continually successful. We must set daily goals for ourselves and then don't let ourselves off the hook unless there is a good reason to. Our flesh will always seek the path of comfort, but comfort is where stagnation sets in.