“Why”
Before we discuss goal setting, which covers more of the ‘what’ and the ‘how’, we should first look at ‘why’ trail and ultramarathon runners do what they do. Any ultramarathon runner is probably very familiar with that question. Whenever they tell a non-ultramarathon runner the sort of distances they cover, one of the first questions they typically get is, “why?” But it’s not always easy to articulate why we run. Some athletes might have a clear answer, but you may need to help others find their ‘why’. We discussed intrinsic motivation in the motivation section, and helping a runner find their ‘why ‘is fundamental to fuelling intrinsic motivation.
A runner’s ‘why’ and their personal values are intertwined. Their values are their beliefs and expectations for how they want to exist and the sort of life they want to live. Many runners won’t have reflected on what their personal values are, so the first step is to encourage them to do so. What motivates and inspires them? What gives them purpose? And during challenging times where do they draw their strength from? Once they start to identify these key values and motivations, then they can begin to think about how those values apply to trail and ultramarathon running. It may also be helpful to think about times when they have performed at their best; what was motivating them to put in the work and keep persevering with that challenge?
As your athletes begin to build that self-awareness, they can begin to reflect on how they can bring their ‘why’ into their daily life and training. Again, it will be beneficial for them to reflect; what does it look like when they’re living their ‘why’, and what environment/people make them feel most connected to their ‘why’? For example, if they are motivated by a connection with nature, and they feel like they are living their ‘why’ when they’re out in the wild, then it would be beneficial to find time to do so regularly. With their ‘why’ identified you can begin to reflect how others like you, their coach, can support their ‘why’, or how they can stay in touch with their ‘why’ during training and races. Sharing their ‘why’ with others may also make it more tangible and real.
While one’s core values tend to be relatively static, it is still helpful for athletes to go back and revisit/revaluate their ‘why’ from time-to-time. They can reflect on whether any of their motivations have changed, and whether their actions and behaviours are lining up with their ‘why’. If an athlete is feeling unmotivated and less driven than usual, it’s probably a good time to go and revisit their ‘why’; maybe their ‘why’ has changed, or maybe their goals and lifestyle has strayed from their ‘why’.
You cannot give your athletes their ‘why’ – it must come from within and through self-reflection. That’s why we’ve focused on questions you can ask them to help guide this reflective process. Helping your athletes find their ‘why’ will help provide intrinsic motivation. Whether the drive comes from a desire to test their limits, to overcome adversity, connect with nature, raise awareness, build a community, or simply enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and a job well done, this ‘why’ will help build resilience and give a reason to keep going in the face of obstacles. In the latter stages of a race when everything hurts, it will be something to draw upon to keep going. It’ll help build focus and concentration by helping them stay centred on their purpose and avoid distractions. Most importantly it’ll add depth and significance to their running pursuits and enhance overall meaning and fulfilment from running.
Key takeaways
1. Helping athletes finding their ‘why’ will help improve their intrinsic motivation, resilience, focus, sense of purpose, and assist in goal setting
2. A runner’s ‘why’ stems from their core values
3. Their ‘why’ can evolve over time, and periods of low motivation are a good opportunity to revisit their ‘why’