We are nearing the end of a beautiful summer and for some this is the start of the off season while for others, there are still some big races ahead. Regardless. it seems over the past few weeks I have heard from several athletes that this is the time of year they start to struggle with motivation. They are asking if it is burnout? Change of weather? The let down of a busy summer or maybe just that life is too busy and something has to give?

It is hard to really know why sometimes it is hard to be motivated for a workout even when we know it gets us closer to a goal we have.

Don’t despair though, at some point or another even the most dedicated athlete gets on the struggle bus and has a hard time motivating for workouts.

Truly this is a part of training. The best thing to do when this happens is to try and step back and evaluate why you are really struggling. There may be many reasons but hopefully some of our tips and ideas will help you figure out how to stop that bus and tell the driver you want OFF and are ready to find that motivation again!

Winter, in case you haven’t noticed, is socking it to us with constant rain and wind. This is that time of year where many people head indoors for workouts. You may be logging miles on a treadmill or trainer instead of being outside. What can help the time pass quickly when you are on those inside workouts?

Besides music, tv and movies, we really like to mix it up with podcasts. Podcasts are often a perfect length for a workout, you can learn something new or find motivation from other athletes/experts.

Read more for our favorite fitness, running, and triathlon related podcasts.

With the new year,  did you resolve for a new year and new you? What were those resolutions? Maybe they were along the lines that you would exercise every day, eat healthy every day, avoid sugar for the rest of this century, and be the perfect spouse, parent, and friend?

Despite all the grand intentions, some resolution creep may have set in. Instead of being a positive force to drive subtle changes, unrealistic and absolute resolutions can set you up for a lot of negativity.

We have enough negativity right now so instead of a resolution consider setting an intention.

Read more to learn why....