Waves of Motivation
by Rachael DePalma
In late March 2020, I ran to the ocean and stood by its edge. Sinking the rubber sole of my sneakers into the wet sand, I watched the water lap at the beach, its white foam nudging the outer fabric of my shoes.
The water’s steady in and out calmed me during a period of uprooted chaos. I sought to match my breathing with the tide, “innn and outtt, inn and outtt”. It felt soothing in a way a hug normally would, but couldn’t at that time. It reminded me of home- by the L.I. Sound in CT.
This small dose of stability and moment of peace were enough motivation to run 7+ miles there and walk/run 7+ miles home. In the past year, I’ve only run as far two other times. I haven’t felt like it nor have I had the energy, often leaving my running shoes waiting patiently - yet neglected -at my door.
Still, throughout the pandemic, I’ve seen PPTC runners engaging in early morning speedwork in the park and heard stories of club members breaking records and running new PRs. It’s enthralling. How does one gather the drive to run in an era where there are limited live, in-person races? How does the determination to do speedwork in the early morning or after work materialize even when there are races? Fortunately, some of PPTC’s runners have loose lips and let me in on their secrets.
On one of the summer days that I did manage to pry my eyes open at the sound of my alarm (I met a friend to run that day), I spied three PPTC runners. Their toes to the Al Goldstein finish line, their hands hovering above their watches, they were ready to begin another rep of their speed workout. Matthew Grant (he/him), a legend of his 60+ age group for winning and keeping up with (or beating!) runners in their 20s, was among them. Matthew shared that “Because I'm middle aged now, it's natural that I'm not going to have the speed that I had 30 years ago, so being in my 60's with salt and pepper graying hair, I need to do a speed workout once a week. Furthermore, I'm a 5K and 10K runner and those distances require some speed in order to run faster times. Endurance alone is not going to cut it.”
Matthew Grant running a 5k pre-pandemic
As for keeping motivated during a global pandemic, Matthew stated, “I didn't have to be motivated at all to continue running during this COVID-19 period simply because I love long distance running. We're talking about something that I've been involved in since I was 13 years old in the 8th grade when I ran the mile in 5:30.” I’m honestly wishing that I could tap into some of his ambition right now.
John McElroy (he/him) racing through the cold.
Photo by: PaFoua Hang (she/her)
John McElroy (he/him) who is known for his hard work and speed (his name sprinkles PPTC’s club records) is often seen on Strava running doubles and admits to a more tenuous relationship with motivation to run, “It [motivation] comes in waves. At the beginning of the pandemic I used the extra time from not having to commute to do some high mileage weeks. Once the VT 100 got cancelled I didn't see the point. This was around the same time when runners were turned into pariahs. Just thinking about going for a run gave me intense anxiety. I had to plan runs in less populous industrial areas. I fell off a little around this time, but even before the pandemic I relied less on motivation because I had made running a habit. When it's an ingrained pattern you don't really think about it, you just do it.”
Or, if you’re out of the habit, some external motivation may help you get the soles of your feet to hit the streets. For many, this comes in the form of running buddies- people who stick out the grueling evening or early morning and speedwork with you, making it all the more bearable. John divulged that running solo during the height of the pandemic was tough, “Now that we’re able to run in groups again, it’s amazing how the miles just fly by.”
Crystal Cun (she/her) smiling through a run.
Meanwhile, Crystal Cun (she/her), who raced the virtual Boston Marathon back in September, has just the thing to get her moving, “in all honesty, the thing that's getting me out the door right now...is the thought of totally crushing my competition by stacking up a crap ton of Crystal Loops, so that I settle who owns the Local Legend badge on Strava, once and for all. :P”. Crystal is referring to the Strava segment in Prospect Park that is not only named for her, but is also the loop that she remains the Local Legend of. However, the crown only remains hers as long as she’s the one who’s run the most Crystal Loops.
Noah Devereaux (he/him) running his 10k on the Red Hook track in April 2020.
Photo by: Jana Trenk (she/her)
Speaking of running loops, Noah Devereaux raced a 10k on the Red Hook track back in April, an account he detailed beautifully in PPTC’s Member Discussions on Facebook. Let’s be clear, a 10k is 25 laps around the track, which sounds like a mind-numbing monstrosity to me, but Noah saw it differently, “The idea of running 25 laps on the track seemed pretty novel…there are basically zero opportunities to race it at the adult recreational level.” Spoiler alert: Noah crushed the time trial. How? Well aside from the fact that he’s a talented and determined runner, he also dipped into running more during these COVID times, “even though everything else was falling apart in the early part of the pandemic, running was the one thing that was still going well.” Although Noah revealed that recently he’s found it more difficult to stay motivated, the prospect of races in the near future is propelling him forward.
Leiba Rimler (she/her) putting in the work at Wingate Track.
It's no secret that Leiba Rimler’s (she/her) running also thrived during 2020. She ran the virtual Boston Marathon and 25 other races despite many being cancelled or virtual. For these many accomplishments she was named PPTC’s Female Runner of the Year. Yet, Leiba admits, “Sometimes it just feels really hard to get out there, but it seems easier to battle yourself for a short while before and at the beginning of a run than to mope all day about not having had the motivation to step outside and begin.” Her words rang true to me. How many times do I feel as if my day never actually started because I didn’t get out and run? How often have I laced up my shoes at 8pm just to log mileage before the day ended? I’ve been learning to give myself more grace when it comes to this and it seems as if Leiba has too. “I don't have to run, I get to run. I may sometimes feel less "motivated" to get in speed, but that's okay; the beauty of not following a training plan is that if I really, really, really don't have that in me one day, I don't need to do it.”
Brave sea grass.
This sentiment reminds me of brave tufts of grass at the beach that poked their heads through the sand. They stood proudly & firmly rooted, but bowed and bent in the breeze, moving with it instead of fighting. I admire the plants’ characteristics and seek to emulate them.
Austin Maier running his 15k around the track.
Photo by: Jana Trenk
Austin Maier (he/him), who ran a blazing 15k back in May (37.5 laps around the track!!-talk about a feat not only of the body, but of the mind!) seemed to agree with this ideology. “Intrinsically motivating yourself to run can definitely be a struggle so just be easy on yourself. I really love the process and grind of training, but if that doesn’t excite you right now, it’s 100% okay to take it easy.”
Waves breathing: “innn and outttt”
These members (& many others) have taught me lessons through this pandemic, but the ocean has too. We all work in waves (as John mentioned earlier). We have periods of mass production and movement and then require a time of rest, just like the earth. “Innn and outtt.”
I’m also listening to my body now and folding to rest more often. To be completely vulnerable here, I’ve been struggling with long haul COVID symptoms since April 2020, the most frightening being intermittent chest pains. I share this because I know I am not alone although I have often felt like an island in this experience as a runner. Now more than ever, symptoms or not, hear what your body is telling you and follow its guidance. This time is challenging; let yourself breathe and rest when you are called to and rip up the track when it entices you with catharsis or endorphins.
The choice to dive in and tuck under the sea’s surface or stand with your feet slipping into water-bathed sand, is up to you and how you’re feeling now at this moment. Both options are serving you. “Innn and outttt”
PPTC is a diverse and supportive team. We want to celebrate the diversity of our club and membership. We welcome and encourage everyone to share their stories with us.
Text by: Rachael DePalma (she/her)
Contributors: Matthew Grant (he/him), John McElroy (he/him), Crystal Cun (she/her), Noah Devereaux (he/him), Leiba Rimler (she/her), and Austin Maier (he/him)
Photos: Rachael DePalma, contributors and as noted
Edited by: John Vaghi (he/him)
Produced by: Rachael DePalma