Action Before Motivation

Some weeks you wake up ready to run through walls.
Other weeks, you stare at your shoes and hope they’ll do it for you.

Last Sunday, before the week began, we took a hike up Mount Macedon. The air was crisp, the trails were quiet, and the views were unreal. It was the perfect reset... a reminder that not all progress comes from running fast. Sometimes it’s about moving, breathing, and clearing your head.

Which turned out to be exactly what I needed, because this week… well, it was a grind.

Mentally, I just couldn’t find rhythm. Life was busy, focus was scattered, and motivation was hiding somewhere under a pile of emails. Every run started with the same talk in my head: “Just get out the door. Ten minutes. Then decide.”

That’s when it hit me again... motivation doesn’t come first. Action does.
Once you move, everything changes. The legs wake up, the brain quiets down, and even an average run starts to feel like progress.

Physically, I wasn’t firing either. My shoes have officially hit retirement age. The cushioning’s gone flat, and I can feel every bump through the toes. Not painful yet, but close. Time for an upgrade.

Saturday’s 15km summed the whole week up. The first few kilometres felt fine... smooth pace, decent rhythm... until my stomach turned on me at kilometre three. Quick pit stop back home (tactical, not tragic), a reset, and then back out the door.

And let’s talk about that cola-flavoured energy gel. Never again. Not sure if it was meant to be fuel or punishment, but “edible” would be generous. Lesson learned... I’ll stick to the good stuff next time.

Once the stomach drama was behind me, the rest of the run was surprisingly solid. I settled back in at around 4:23/km and finished feeling stronger than when I started. Not fast, not flashy, but firm proof that showing up works... even when everything tries to throw you off.

During the cool-down, my head drifted back to Tokyo. The goal is still clear: a 2:55–2:58 finish, which means holding 4:10–4:13 per kilometre for the full marathon. That number sits in the back of my mind every week, not to add pressure, but to remind me where all this effort is leading.

Weeks like this... where motivation’s low, shoes are tired, and even the fuel fights back.... are the ones that build the base. Not the smooth weeks, not the easy ones. The tough, scrappy, “just get it done” ones.

Because that’s the whole lesson right there:
Action before motivation. Always.

Tip of the Week:
Motivation is unreliable. Action isn’t. Take the first step, no matter how small... and maybe skip the cola gel.

Next week:
Fresh shoes, better fuel, and hopefully no more mid-run detours. The Tokyo countdown continues... one kilometre, one mistake, one lesson at a time.