Motivation - Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation - Community - Why we race - Durability and motivation - Relentlessness

At the start line, we all strive toward the goals we’ve set for ourselves with all our heart, whether it’s achieving a personal record (PR) or securing a podium finish. Mid-race, not everyone remains as determined, often lowering their expectations or finding excuses. We all want it… but How bad you want it? Race day is long and hard, so we need to have our feet on the ground for what will come.

Psychologists often discuss two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is what comes from within, like wanting to continuously be better, finish a dream race etc. Extrinsic motivation comes from outside, I want to beat that guy, I want to earn the price money, I want the Instagram likes.

Generally, Intrinsic motivation is stronger and more reliable in the long term. If I want to set a good example for my daughters, and transmit them the love for sports and its values, as it comes from inside me and depends on me, it is a strong motivator.

On the other side, you have extrinsic motivations. Winning a championship or becoming #1 can sound a great motivation, but it also depends on the others. Is winning the only desirable outcome, or is better not winning in a more difficult field? Is becoming #2 a failure if you only want to be #1? After you achieve that, then, what will motivate you?

There are other motivations that seems to be extrinsic, like a huge payday. Runners from lower income countries can see theirs and families life change if they win the price money of just one race. So yes, its extrinsic, but related with family and strong motivators.

Some athletes find their motivation on just seeing what they can achieve, how far they can go. Which is a strong motivator if its driven by the will to become better and improve.

In his amazing book, Alistair Brownlee talks about what motivates long term top performers to continue being in the top year in and year out. What all of them have in common is their love of the game and getting better. Not beating anyone or a ranking (which is relative to the others). But only from how they perceive they improve. If my life goal is becoming #1, what will happen if I get there of if I fail? Will I stop my pursuit for improvement? Will I see myself as a failure?

There are some athletes that say they race on anger, and others with gratefulness. Though it is hard to just being motivated by them, it is something to consider. It can be a strong motivator… while it last. So first figure out where that anger or gratefulness comes from.

Community is as an important motivator as many others. It can be just being part of the Olympics or world championships, or of the selected group that does the local 5k. We all want to get there, and perform our best in there. Having the best preparation and performing our best is, therefore, a way to respect our peers and the race. A few people show to an Ironman unprepared, and less to a World Championship or Olympic games.

It is on us therefore to find out what motivates us and learn to exploit it. For me, in those dark moments of the races, I think about my family and how proud they, and I, will be if I can tell them how much I wanted to slow down but didn’t. I preach to my girls with the example.

Book references:

How bad you want it, and The Comeback quotient, by Matt Fitzgerald

Relentless, Alistair Brownlee

Eat and run, by Scott Jurek

Today we die a little, by Richard Askwith (Emil Zatopek Biography)

Coach corner

Visualization is a fantastic but underused tool. You need to see your goals as realizable, there to take. Work on figuring out what are them, put in writing what it will take to accomplish them, and then work on seeing yourself doing it. If you live close to the race course you should go often there. See videos of the race, read about the course, listen to local music. All of that will help you or your athlete be more familiar on race day.

Also you should plan and see the race. See yourself getting on your dreamt time, but also go step by step to recover for every possible setback.

Doing that you will arrive to race day as if you’ve done it before, knowing what will it take

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