Training Isn’t Fun Every Day - And That’s the Point

I wish I could say training is fun every day. It’s not.

The other morning, I sat in my car at Duncan McKinnon staring out at the drizzle, trying to

talk myself into getting out. I had 5 × 1.2 km loops on the plan. The first 340m uphill. Solo.

Rainy. Grey skies.

And to be honest, after a public holiday with my twins running me ragged, the last thing I

felt like was another grind session on tired legs.

But I got out of the car. I started. And I got it done.

The splits were solid. The last rep even turned into a drag race when someone tried to pass

me - and of course, I had to drop the hammer. I finished strong.

The truth that doesn’t get posted enough

Here’s what people don’t see:

• The run didn’t feel good until it was over.

• The motivation wasn’t there until halfway through.

• The enjoyment didn’t come until I looked back at the data.
  

That’s the real struggle. We often post about race day, PBs, or the highs of training - but the

grind in between is just as real, and just as important.

Why these sessions matter

The race isn’t just on event day. The race is every time you choose to start, even when it

feels like a grind.

For me, these days build more than fitness. They build resilience:

• The discipline to start when you’d rather stay in the car.

• The grit to finish the rep when no one’s watching.

• The consistency to keep showing up, even when it’s grey, wet, and uninspiring.
  

That’s not just training - that’s life. It’s leadership. It’s parenting. It’s work.

We all have those moments where conditions aren’t ideal, and motivation is low. What

counts is whether we show up anyway.

My takeaway

For me, training is as much about building resilience as it is about building fitness. The

medals, the PBs, the finish lines - they’re great. But the real win is being able to say: I did the

work, even when it wasn’t fun.

And that’s where the real growth happens - not just as an athlete, but as a person.