Up until a couple of years ago, I didn’t enjoy running at all.
And if I’d relied on motivation, I probably wouldn’t have stuck with it.
But as an online weight loss coach, I see time and time again the value of showing up and being consistent, even when it feels hard or like things aren’t working.
There were plenty of times I didn’t feel like running, or it didn’t feel particularly enjoyable, but I’d set myself a goal and decided I was going to work at it.
And so over time, by showing up consistently rather than waiting to feel motivated, things started to change.
Fast forward to now, and I’ve qualified to represent Great Britain (age group) at the European Duathlon Championships this summer.
A local article was recently published about it, which you can read here:
Sussex Express: Haywards Heath Coach Qualifies to Represent GB at the European Duathlon Championships
How it actually started
I’ve always enjoyed cycling.
Running was a different story.
Growing up, I enjoyed playing football, but running itself never felt like something that came naturally.
In fact, my loving family (who, to be fair, came to all my games and were very supportive) would often tell me I looked like I was ‘running through treacle’ when chasing after the ball.
So for a long time, I just accepted that I didn’t like running and wasn’t very good at it.
It took someone I trusted suggesting I try a duathlon, and believing I could actually get better at running, for me to give it a proper go.
As a side note – having someone believe in you, and see your potential, is unbelievably powerful, and it’s something I apply to my coaching too.
So many of the women I work with are capable of much more than they think. And that guidance, support and encouragement can make all the difference to helping them achieve goals they didn’t think they could.
I’m very grateful to the person who believed in me, because the training and improvements I’ve made had a hugely positive impact on my life.
How consistency in training changes things
I didn’t suddenly become a runner.
There wasn’t a point where it clicked and felt easy.
But what changed was consistency in training.
Adding a bit more running alongside cycling and strength work.
Entering my first duathlon last year.
And building gradually from there.
In addition, I signed up to a duathlon training plan through MyProCoach, who I am not affiliated with but highly recommend.
This gave me some structure and a clearer idea of what I should be doing each week. And as a coach who spends a lot of time creating programs for clients, it was so helpful to outsource that thinking and have a plan to follow for myself.
Having that guidance – and the support of a brilliant coach as part of the plan I signed up for – made a big difference. Especially on the days when it felt harder or I wasn’t sure if I was on the right track.
Some weeks went well, some didn’t.
At times I made mistakes, overdid training, and picked up a minor injury that slowed things down.
But there were useful lessons in each of these experiences.
And overall, I kept showing up, and gradually kept making progress.
Why consistency matters more than motivation
It would be easy to look at something like qualifying for Team GB age group and assume it comes from:
- being naturally good at it
- having lots of time
- feeling motivated all the time
But in reality, it comes back to something much simpler.
Consistency in training beats motivation every time.
Whilst I’m lucky I have flexibility in my schedule as an online coach and can make time for training, it’s still involved a lot of planning, organisation, commitment, and saying no to many other things I could be doing.
Furthermore, I’m not naturally great at running or cycling, but the time invested in both has helped a lot.
And as for everyone, motivation comes and goes.
But consistency is what actually moves things forward.
What that looked like (while dealing with life stress)
For me, building consistency meant:
- strength training alongside running and cycling
- keeping things simple rather than trying to do everything
- fitting training around work, not waiting for the perfect schedule
- continuing even when life got in the way and motivation dropped
On this last point – life got pretty stressful at times, which triggered anxiety and impacted my energy and motivation.
And it was at this point that training actually became a bit of an anchor.
Although I didn’t always feel capable of doing the sessions as well as I wanted to, showing up for myself still felt good.
I felt proud of doing what I could when it felt hard, and trusted that effort would compound over time.
In addition, I knew just how powerful exercise can be for our physical and mental health, and this proved to be very true.
Keeping consistent with training made me feel physically stronger and mentally more resilient during one of the hardest times of my life.
I see this with clients too when they are going through life stress.
When they keep showing up with a mindset of consistency not perfection, they feel mentally stronger, proud of themselves, and protect the progress they’ve made.
Consequently, when the stress settles down, they are in a great place to keep moving forwards, and have built the resilience to still look after themselves no matter what life throws at them.
This is exactly what I see with clients
Most of the women I work with aren’t training for events.
They’re trying to:
- lose weight and keep it off
- feel stronger in their body and more confident in their clothes
- have more energy
- build a happier, healthier relationship with food
- create habits that feel sustainable so they can keep the results for good
But the pattern is the same.
Progress doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly for a short period of time.
It comes from doing enough of the right things, consistently.
You don’t need to train like an athlete
This didn’t come from doing everything perfectly.
It came from building consistency in training over time.
And that applies whether you’re working towards an event, or just trying to feel fitter, stronger and more in control day to day.
You don’t need to be training for a race to benefit from this approach.
But you do need:
- a simple structure to make consistency easier when things are busy
- habits that fit your life and create the results you want
- awareness of patterns that hold you back, and a willingness to work on them
- a commitment to show up for yourself and keep aiming for progress, not perfection
If this is where you’re at
If you feel like you’ve:
- started and stopped multiple times
- struggled to stay consistent
- or know what to do but aren’t doing it regularly
that’s exactly what I help with inside my coaching.
Find out more here:
Online Weight Loss Coaching with Hayley
