“How do I get started in endurance sports?”
That is a question I see frequently from social media followers or athletes looking for a consult. It is an important question with a variety of answers based on your situation.
I recently polled the audience with what they considered to be most important before signing up for a race, starting a fitness challenge, or committing to a more active lifestyle. There were some highly regarded individuals in the endurance sports space who chimed in.
Popular belief would lead one to think that the focus should be on:
The specifics of training
Routines
Equipment
Technique
Science
While those things matter, not one of the 15+ replies mentioned anything about the above.
Ask why
Nearly every reply was focused on the reason why you are wanting to take on the challenge.
Does a fast time matter?
Do you want to qualify for a big event?
Do you want to win?
Do you want to improve your health?
Do you need a hobby?
Do you want to engage in a new community?
Are you on a path of self-discovery?
All of the above are worthy reasons to get started. Knowing exactly what you want and exactly why you are doing it can set up the foundation for future success.
With your reason in hand, you can begin to have a Q&A with yourself:
How will doing _____ make things better for me or others?
It is unlikely you are getting into sport, fitness, or health with the intentions of making a worse version of yourself. It is helpful to have both a reason why you are doing it and a reason how it will be beneficial.
Asking these important questions is not dancing around the fact that you’ll eventually have to get down and dirty with the “work”. Rather, having these answers well-defined can be useful to reference when the going gets tough.
We love to rely on our biggest workouts and fancy gadgets to carry us to our goals, but a reminder of why it all matters might be the secret to getting started and keeping momentum.
Grab a notepad, get to work, and write down your why.