MOTIVATION: Realizing Lifetime Goals

FRANKLIN WEFALD, M.D., A CARDIOLOGIST from Elkhart, Indiana, claims he has ten lifetime goals that he hopes to achieve at some point in his life. They include: traveling to China, writing The Great American Novel and running a marathon. Since he turned 40 in February, running that marathon is now on Dr. Wefald's agenda for 1999.

A now-and-then runner, who because of his busy practice sometimes is up at dawn and home at midnight, Dr. Wefald might run 10-15 miles one week, zero the next. He now says: "I'm going to use the marathon to bring some structure to my life, organize all my activities and put some meaning to my hectic schedule."

The marathon serves as a rite of passage for many. Eric Zorn, the Chicago Tribune columnist, also turned 40 last year and set as his goal losing 30 pounds and running The LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon, which he did in 4:31:53. Zorn described his achievement in the March issue of Runner's World:

"I was not a runner when I got into this. I was 30 pounds overweight. My dietary habits were dismaying, my exercise habits sporadic. I pledged to run 26.2 miles because I needed both a finite goal and the added pressure of potential humiliation should I fail."

Finding An Excuse To Run

Is it the marathon that motivates many people to take up running, or do people need to be motivated first to run a marathon? No matter, people find some motivational excuse or reason. Mark Greenwald, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Chicago, decided to run a marathon shortly after he and his wife chose to adopt their first child. "That decision forced me to consider two related issues," he says. "The energy to raise that child, and the longevity to be around to enjoy her growing up."

So essential is motivation that you almost cannot run 26 miles without it. Without motivation, you'll fail to do the necessary training to make it to the starting line. Without motivation, you'll never pass the 20-mile mark, where even well-trained runners start to hurt. Here are some tips to help you reach both the start line and the finish line of your next marathon, whether Chicago or some other race:

• Find a reason: Many individuals today run a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia Society of America; nearly a thousand in the Chicago area alone raised $2.2 million in 1998. Why do you want to run a marathon? To lose weight? To get fit? Having a reason will help you succeed.
• Commit yourself: Not everyone can announce their decision, as Eric Zorn did in a newspaper column seen by 700,000 readers, but don't keep your quest secret. Tell family, friends, the garbage collector. They'll become your biggest cheering squad. Not wanting to disappoint them will keep you moving toward your goal.
• Plan your campaign: Too busy a schedule like Dr. Wefald? Determine in advance the best time(s) for your workouts, particularly your long runs that can consume two or three hours. Most runners do their long runs on weekends. But seek pockets of opportunity mid-week to insert smaller running bites.
• Seek support: It's tough to train alone, particularly when the miles get long in August and September. Find others to run with. Plan group workouts. This is one of the main advantages of the CARA/LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon Training Class that I teach. (Contact: 312-666-9836, or by email: cararuns@aol.com, or visit the CARA Web site: http://wwwcararuns.org.)
• Use visible cues: Keep a diary. Create a chart and tape it to the wall where you keep your running shoes. Record your mileage daily. This will serve as a continuous reminder of how far you've come--and how far you have to go.
• Visualize success: Olympic athletes often use visualization tools. They imagine themselves succeeding in their events. Focus on the finish line awaiting you when you run your marathon. Imagine yourself running the final mile with thousands cheering. Feel the medal being hung around your neck. You can do it!

Copyright © 1999 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved.