What motivates you?

As the snow starts to melt and little spikes of green grass begin to peek through, I get excited.  I love the warm weather.  I love the anticipation that comes with wondering if the plants I have in my yard will actually come back to life.  And more then ever, I love to run....outside.  I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to exercising in freezing temperatures, so when spring comes...I get anxious to get moving outdoors.  The nice weather itself is a good motivation for me.  (As well as the 3 races I am signed up to run before fall!)

I have always run for fitness and exercise.  But about 3 years ago, it developed a complete different meaning for me.  My husband convinced me to sign up for a race!  I was scared to death to run my very first 5K.  I kept asking him, what if I am dead last?  How do you win? How do you sprint the whole time?  What if you need to stop?  I was scared! I remember very clearly how cold it was the morning of the race.  I'm sure everyone around me could hear my teeth chattering from how cold I was and being so nervous! I also remember seeing hundreds of people just like me.  They weren't professional runners.  They were normal people trying to do something for themselves.  I immediately felt like we were all in this together.  All these people had been training for this race just as I had, and now here we were.  I felt a strong unity with a group of strangers.  As the race began,  I quickly realized that unity continued while we were running.  People were cheering on the sidelines for certain family or friends, but then would also cheer others on.  As I would get passed pass others, :) it was encouraging knowing they were accomplishing a goal.  We were all getting closer to that finish line.  I understood the answers to my questions --that I was not at all close to "winning" the race, but I won because I finished.  No, I didn't sprint the whole time, only the last 20 yards (that was all I could come up with by then).  I also learned that if you need to walk for while to catch your breath, it is absolutely fine!  Many people walked the entire race.  I also learned that I LOVED running that 5K.  That summer I ended up running a 10K, 15K, and a full marathon.  26.2 miles!! Ever since I have looked at running with a new light.  It makes training worth it.  It gives it meaning, and I can't wait to gather with hundreds of others at the starting line. 

So what motivates you?  Where do you find the inspiration when you are down in a slump?  I have a few races that are on the schedule this summer, so now I need to buckle down and get prepared.  Good luck to you!