Motivation! I have been thinking a lot lately about motivation. What is motivation? What is MY motivation? Even my editor’s column tag line is Who is This Guy? (and WHY is He doing this?), so it would seem that I am always questioning my motivation.
Interestingly, this was the topic of a group that I ran with my clients recently. We defined a motive as something, a need or desire, that causes a person to act. In the case of my clients, the motive we discussed was getting high (and getting sober), but in thinking about it, I wondered what is my motive for running, especially as I am getting older.
If I were looking for a job, one of the questions I might be asked in an interview would be “What is your motive for working here?” To begin with I would be looking for a job that would challenge me to grow in my career. (Running challenges me to grow both physically and mentally) I would also be looking for a good relationship with coworkers. (With running I get a chance to network with a wide variety of interesting people) In a job I would also be looking for a good health care package. (The health benefits of running are well documented – see my blood pressure lower) In these times of high gas prices (although they are slowly going down), I might be looking for a job that is closer to my home. (The nearest run is just outside my door)
We also discussed in my group that motivation can change over time. This has been the case with my running (as it probably has been for others). Winning races and running fast times are less of a priority (of course, I say this to make myself feel better because the reality is that I may never win another race, and it is too much work to run any faster than I already do). So, my priority today is to continue to enjoy the sport for the health benefits, the friendships I gain, and the challenges I face. I also run because it is a huge part of who I am. I run, therefore I am (thinking is sooo overrated). That is my motivation.

I have found myself running a race against time. I always have been, but I rarely pay attention to it.  This is a race with no free shirts, no age group awards, no timing chips. I am not even sure where the finish line is, or how much farther I need to run. I am competing against all of you, and you may not even be aware of the challenge. At times we may run full speed, at others we may walk, and yet other times we may crawl or be assisted. The finish line will come – we only need to keep moving toward it.
This race, of course, is with our own mortality.  Most of the time we are blissfully unaware of the race we are running, preferring to believe that we are nearly immortal, or at best years from our demise. Sometimes
events in our lives, with those around us, remind us of our mortality, if only for a short time. We realize how fragile life is for a moment, only to forget again with the passage of time.
I was reminded of my mortality again recently, with the sudden death of someone I knew from high school. Marty Moran was a senior when I was a freshman. I didn’t actually know Marty all that well, but he was a top runner on the Cross Country team, a topnotch student, and was very popular. All the things a nerdy freshman would want to be. In that way, he was very influential to me, although he may have never known it. His influence probably had a lot to do with my future running success, my success in school, and my growing popularity by my senior year. Although not intentional, I had modeled myself on Marty’s example.
Marty’s success continued after high school, earning degrees in engineering, running marathons, and in his career as a Nuclear Submarine engineer for the United States Navy. Marty passed away on May 22 at the age of 44; far too young, but he had run his race to the best of his ability.
Martys death can remind us that we need to make the most of each day that we are given, because we are not guaranteed a tomorrow. I know that I spend too much time focusing on the details, and not so much enjoying the ride. The race will be over soon enough.  I am hoping my time isn’t fast in the race towards the grave, but I am going to focus on taking it a mile at a time, a day at a time. That is all I can do. That is all I have ever been able to do. Some days I will run at full
speed, at others I will walk, and I may even crawl for a time, but I will keep moving forward. I will also enjoy sharing those miles with others as we help each other in the race against time.