Motivation for Running: The Human Machine

Ever have those days that you just don’t want to do anything? I know I do. It happens all the time. If I think about going for a run too much, it probably won’t happen. How do you get past that?

There are any number of ways to get motivated to get off the couch and onto your feet. One of my favorites is reading and watching videos about the incredible athletes out in the world today.

One of the better books, I’ve read recently was Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run. The story is something out of a fiction novel. A journalist finds a mysterious man that’s been lost in the desert for years and helps organize an epic ultra-marathon in the middle of nowhere with the natives of the area. Packed full of historic and scientific tidbits about running, it makes for an informative and exciting read. The biggest perk to reading it though is not the science facts and cool story. I’ve adjusted the way I think about running because of this book and it has served me very well.

Reading can feel very long term. When you pick up a book, it’s like starting a relationship with it for a few weeks(or however long it takes you to read it). For a more action-packed, one-night stand, with motivation I recommend videos about elite athletes. I can think of nothing more motivational that a well made video about the best in the world working their craft.

Case in point: