What really gets you going when you workout? What puts you in the zone or fills you with the urge to just hammer that workout? I'll tell you for me it has to be the feeling that comes from the momentum of a workout not yet done but in which you are hitting pace, you feel 'on' for whatever reason, and you want to test the limits, really push yourself to see just how far you can go. That would be when perhaps I'm in the middle of a tough track session, or a key workout, and that sense of already being on a great run and wanting to finish strong. My favorite workouts are actually tempo runs; I think I like those so much because they mimic a race situation, and as the workout progresses and you try to keep increasing the pace, my competitiveness kicks in and I want to continue negative splitting to see just how fast I can go.

To go one step further I think there is a difference between what fires you up for workouts and then what sets you up mentally for a race. The situations are usually quite different; on race day you usually have the added boost of adrenaline simply from excitement and the energy already present and it's more a matter of channeling that into a positive direction. You don't want to psyche yourself out, but instead psyche yourself up. Picturing yourself in the race and going through your game plan is one way to do it, as imagery is one excellent tool, listening to high energy music is another common method, and there is also the focus on your competitors. Once that gun goes off it seems like all outside things slip away and the key is to hone that focus on staying relaxed, keeping your stride, and then when you start to tire to look at the person ahead of you, maintain form, and dig to not let yourself get gapped. It then becomes a matter of not only physical power and endurance but them mental strength too.

But when it comes to workouts you usually don't have the added boost from the hype of race day and that is often where people fall into the temptation to ease up or never get it in at all. Training is ongoing, it can be tedious at times, and everyone suffers from a lull in motivation at one point or another; though the difference between the people who win races or hit their goals from those who don't comes down to consistent training and being able to keep up their fire for the next run or hard workout. Now, not everyone is 'in training' for a particular event but you are in an ongoing race of life (okay, yes it sounds corny but we should all strive to live an active lifestyle); while it may not be necessary to hit certain target times or paces you still combat the days when you'd rather throw in the towel or skip a trip to the gym. And to be honest, even if you aren't aiming to set a record or win a race it can be fun to test your limits, see how far or fast you can go, and get competitive with yourself.

So in getting back to the original question; what fires you up? It has been proven that listening to loud music actually spurs people to workout harder and to be able to go longer. Taking the focus off of the discomfort is the aim there and a pulsing beat does that; not only does it ease the pain but it sort of almost helps you to embrace it and really dig down. Another thing that can do this is anger...in a healthy amount. Many people find immense relief from a hard day at work or particular frustration by 'sweating it out'...taking that pent up mental angst you feel and making it physical is actually a healthy outlet to dispel anger and stress. You'll end up feeling better even if you aren't able to change the situation at all; that mood lift is also due in part to the release of endorphins while you were exercising.

However you get your competitive juices flowing and whatever gets you out the door, or to the gym, keep it up and also experiment with different techniques. It's been found that working out with a partner also helps combat a lack of motivation; conversely there are people who prefer to be alone with only their thoughts. Something that always help me whether I am not really feeling up to working out or even am midway through a tough workout and start to question if I can continue and am tempted to ease up is to remember how great I will feel once I am done and have completed what I set out to do. If it's a hurdle to just get started I remember that generally once I get past the first few minutes those endorphins will kick in and I'll be more than motivated to get through to the end. If it's on the track I think about finishing and giving it my very best effort; you can't always change if you are having a bad day but if I finish knowing I at least gave it all I had that day I can take something positive away from the workout; however I know that I would be upset with myself if I just instead gave up.

So I now turn to you, what fires you up?