The Coaches Resource Series turns the best of those conversations into something you can use. Collective knowledge, distilled into practical takeaways — because better-informed athletes get better results.

This month: MOTIVATION. 

Every long training build has a middle section where the goal feels distant and the novelty has worn off. Here’s how to stay on track — and how to know if you’re overdoing it.

TeamCPNZ Athlete Resource  ·  June 2026

KEEP THE FIRE BURNING : STAYING MOTIVATED THROUGH A LONG BUILD-UP

You signed up. You were fired up. The plan is in your hands and race day is circled on the calendar. And then — somewhere in the middle of the build — life happens. Work gets busy. The weather is terrible. You miss a session and it somehow becomes three. Or the opposite: you’re smashing every session and adding extra ones because you feel amazing, right up until you don’t. Both ends of this spectrum are completely normal. And both are manageable.

It All Starts With Your Why

Before anything else — before the training plan, before the gear, before the first session — the most important question is this: why are you doing this?

Not just the surface answer. Not “to finish Coast to Coast” or “to run a marathon.” The real answer. What does crossing that finish line actually mean to you? What does it feel like if you get there? And what does it feel like if you don’t?

WORTH ASKING YOURSELF

Write your why down somewhere you’ll see it. On your phone screensaver, on a Post-it on the fridge, in your training app notes. On the days it feels hard, that answer is what gets you out the door.

A strong why is the single most reliable motivational resource you have across a long build. When the why is vague or borrowed from someone else’s expectations, motivation is fragile. When it’s personal and genuine, it’s remarkably durable — even through the hard weeks.

Which One Are You?

Motivation problems in training tend to fall into one of two categories. Be honest with yourself about which one you recognise:

• The Under-Committed: You want the goal badly — but when it comes to the actual sessions, life keeps winning. You skip things, shorten things, and tell yourself you’ll make it up later. The training is happening, just not quite as planned.
• The Over-Stoker: You’re absolutely smashing it. More than prescribed, harder than prescribed, adding extra events because you feel great. Your enthusiasm is real — but you’re potentially building a debt that will show up as injury, burnout, or a very bad race day.

Most athletes lean one way or the other. Knowing which tendency is yours helps you manage it — because the fix for each one is completely different.

If You’re Under-Committed: Get Honest With Yourself

Missing the odd session is not a crisis. Missing sessions consistently, while still holding onto the goal, is. The gap between what you’re doing and what the goal requires is something worth facing directly.

• Reconnect with the finish line: Close your eyes and picture how race day goes if training continues exactly as it is right now. Then picture how it goes if you commit properly from here. The gap between those two images is usually more motivating than any amount of logic.
• Make the trade-off explicit: When a social commitment is competing with a key training session, ask yourself honestly: “How much does this goal matter compared to this?” Sometimes the goal wins. Sometimes life wins — and that’s okay. But making the choice consciously, rather than by default, keeps you in control.
• Break it into smaller targets: A race that’s six months away is too abstract to motivate you today. Find the nearer milestone — a long run benchmark, a target time on a key route, a training test — and make that the focus for the next four weeks.
• Count the small sessions: A 20-minute run when you only had 20 minutes still counts. Fitting something in when you could easily have done nothing is exactly the habit that gets you to the start line. Don’t dismiss it.
• Be honest if the goal needs revisiting: Sometimes what surfaces during a long build is that the goal itself has shifted. Changing the goal isn’t failure. Grinding through the wrong goal for months is.

KEY PRINCIPLE

Consistency over months beats perfection for a few weeks. An athlete who shows up reliably — even imperfectly — will almost always outperform one who trains brilliantly for a month, then crashes. Small and steady wins the build-up.

If You’re Over-Committed: More Is Not Always More

If you’re reading this and thinking “this doesn’t apply to me, I train plenty” — this section is probably the most important one for you.

Over-training is seductive because it feels like virtue. The problem is that fitness isn’t built during training — it’s built during the recovery that follows. Without adequate recovery, you’re accumulating fatigue without locking in adaptation. The body needs time to absorb the work.

• Easy sessions need to be easy: If your program has an easy hour run and you’re turning it into a hard 90 minutes because you feel good — you’re not doing the session. Easy sessions allow recovery and build aerobic base without adding stress. Going hard on an easy day means the hard day that follows is compromised.
• Watch what happens to your quality sessions: The tell-tale sign of over-training is that the sessions that are supposed to be hard start to feel impossible. If your interval targets are slipping, if you can’t hold a pace you’ve held before, if everything just feels harder than it should — these are signals. Pull back.
• Rest is a training stimulus: Rest days aren’t doing nothing. They are the days when the fitness gains from your hard work actually get locked in. A rest day isn’t lost training — it’s where the training becomes fitness.
• Be honest about extra events: Get clear on what each race is for. Is it an A race? A B race? Or a training day in race clothing? Without being honest about this, every event becomes an excuse to go all out, and the cumulative load adds up fast.
• Look at the numbers: If you’re using Training Peaks, your Performance Management Chart shows the relationship between training load, fatigue, and form. When fatigue stays chronically high and form stays low, the chart is telling you something your enthusiasm is ignoring. Trust the data.

The Middle of the Build: The Hardest Part

Every long training build has a middle section that nobody talks about enough. The novelty of starting has worn off. Race day is still too far away to feel real. The sessions are hard and the question “why am I doing this again?” starts to surface.

This is completely normal. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It means you’re in the middle of a long build-up, which is exactly where you’re supposed to be.

When Life Gets in the Way

A long build-up will encounter at least one period where life takes over properly. When this happens, the instinct is often to panic about the training being lost. That panic is usually worse for the build-up than the disruption itself.

• One bad week doesn’t undo months of work: Fitness built over months is not lost in a week. A reduced or forced rest week is absorbed by a well-conditioned body. What matters is what you do when things settle down.
• The 3 Day rule:  Aim to not have more than 3 days off in a row if possible.  Consistency is the key and having extended breaks mean that our body starts detraining.  Slot a mid-week session on a Wednesday and you will make it to the weekend without breaking the 3 day rule. This will also keep the habit alive.  A complete training break is psychologically harder to come back from than a reduced week.  NB. Not if you are sick though – you need to rest properly if you are not well.
• Protect quality over quantity: The 15min rule counts.  15minutes is the minimum time to call a session a session. This creates consistency as we can always fit in 15minutes somewhere somehow.  So when time is short, prioritise the one or two quality sessions that actually build fitness. A 30-minute interval session does more for your fitness than a two-hour easy run when you’re time-crunched.
• Focus on the sessions: If you are training for a multi-disciplined race like a triathlon or multisport event focus on getting a variety of each discipline in.  Rather than completing 60min run session complete a solid bike with a run off the bike to hit two of your disciplines in the session.
• Communicate with your coach: If life has genuinely disrupted the build, tell your coach early. A plan adjusted in advance is always better than a plan ignored and then apologised for.

Five Questions Worth Answering Now

Whether you’re just starting a build-up or deep in the middle of one, these are worth sitting with. Write the answers down — they’ll serve you on the days when motivation is harder to find:

• What’s my goal, and why does it genuinely matter to me? Not the surface answer — the real one.
• What does it look like if I don’t get there? Picture it specifically. That discomfort is motivating.
• Am I an under-committer or an over-stoker? Be honest. The answer shapes how you manage yourself through the build.
• What’s my biggest risk over this build? Life getting busy? Going too hard? Injury history? Knowing the risk helps you plan around it.
• What will I do when motivation dips? Have an answer before you need it. A training partner, a playlist, a route, a ritual — something that gets you out the door even on the days you don’t want to go.

Motivation goes up and down – Dedication is a constant.  Follow the tips above to stay dedicated to your next goal and ride through the motivation peaks and troughs.

QUICK REMINDERS

The post COACHING INSIGHTS · MOTIVATION · JUNE 2026 appeared first on TeamCP.

We are excited to add two new dates to the CP Calendar for 2023.

Friday 3rd November and Friday 8th December.

Join us for one or both.

Each day course is $225 per person.

We chatted to Lizzie after our last C2C Skills Workshop in August :

The post BE LIKE LIZZIE… appeared first on TeamCP.

An awesome crew donned all things bright and glowing to hit the streets of Cashmere on the shortest day of the year.

Great work team….we think Lizzie Morgan takes the ‘GLOWED UP’ award!

The post CP GLOW RUN appeared first on TeamCP.

In addition to our challenge, we have some fantastic coaching opportunities available. Our coaching team has a couple of slots open for new clients, so take advantage of this chance to get set for spring.

Don’t forget, our last Sunday roadies are taking place this weekend, with new dates for the next block to be released soon. Keep an eye out for updates.

And for those looking for some fun, don’t miss our GLOW RUN this Thursday night. Grab your glow sticks and head torches for a night of excitement.

Finally, we had a fantastic weekend with the CP Squad exploring the Binser Saddle and enjoying some snow time. Thanks to Coach Tim for joining us from Auckland. It was another fantastic day in the mountains with the CP Squad and some delicious baked treats. (check out some images from the dat below)

Until next time team, keep up the great work.

Richard
Your Team CP Motivator

LATEST CP MOTIVATOR 

The post MOTIVATOR …. TDF and JULY CHALLENGE appeared first on TeamCP.

In July, we’ll be taking on the Tour de France challenge, and we highly recommend watching the Netflix documentary to get you pumped up and ready to ride.

Before we get to July, let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible efforts seen during May’s challenge, which saw Everest’s happening all over the country, both indoors and outdoors. And, as if that wasn’t enough, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our podcast series with CLIFFTOP CHALLENGE, which kicked off this week.. Be sure to tune in and join us on this exciting new journey.

We recently had our first adventure with the CP Squad! We headed to Lewis Pass for a day of learning how to use our wet weather gear and sharing some delicious baked treats. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with fellow members and learn new skills while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. We can’t wait for our next adventure.

Did you see the news – BEN WILLIAMS from the West Coast was announced as the SIGNATURE HOMES Emerging Athlete for 2023. Congrats Ben, we look forward to following along our your experience this year as an Emerging Athlete.

Keep pushing, keep striving, and always remember you put the TEAM into TEAM CP!

See you out there team.

Richard
Your Team CP Motivator

https://mailchi.mp/1f71ef05ef13/the-cp-motivator-weekly-15131589?fbclid=IwAR2vdus9Cmk1rN94bxdVT_63LVUS2YAp_VVCVaFlREnkO_0T8XB1-ESud9U

The post MOTIVATOR …. JUNE EDITION appeared first on TeamCP.

SIGNATURE HOMES

– EMERGING ATHLETE 2023 APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN

The post Signature Homes – Emerging Athlete 2023 appeared first on TeamCP.

TIM HANSON

– CP COACH

We are very excited to announce an addition to our coaching team.

Welcome aboard Tim Hanson.

Tim shares a little about himself below….

Hi, I am Tim, an Auckland based Team CP coach.

I have been endurance racing for over 10 years now. It all started for me while living in Western Australia where the challenge of completing an Ironman 70.3 was presented to me by a friend. As you could imagine the journey going from very little experience in the sport to completing such a distance was a large undertaking, but it was also a really rewarding experience and one that kick-started my love for all things endurance sport.

Ever since, it is safe to say I have been hooked, having now completed multiple Ironman 70.3 & Ironman distance events across Australia & New Zealand.

Being raised in Canterbury I remember when I was younger watching these people cross the finish line on the sands of Sumner Beach after traversing from one side of the South Island to the other. I thought these people were incredible, but never did I think that one day that would or could be me. In 2023, I got to experience that finish line after completing the Coast to Coast Longest Day, yet again this was a journey full of highs, lows, learnings, setbacks and comebacks which have provided me with more experiences that I now take with me into my coaching.

Outside of Coaching Team CPer’s I also coach in the corporate world. I do a lot of work with individuals and teams within organisations helping them create high performance environments that enable them to achieve optimal results. I am also a qualified personal trainer with over 5 years’ experience in the fitness industry having helped clients reach their goals both in New Zealand and overseas (OZ & Canada)

I love being part of the wider Team CP community and I feel so fortunate to be able to work with a great bunch of people who have a desire to achieve extraordinary things.

Endurance sport has done so much for me personally, so to be in a position where I can be part of other people’s journey’s helping them bring their goals to life no matter how big or small is really exciting.

The post Tim Hanson – CP Coach appeared first on TeamCP.

RACHEL BAKER

– CP ATHLETE

CP Superstar, Rachel Baker, has shared with us her thoughts on why she LOVES adventure racing. Thanks Rach!

The post Rachel Baker – GODZone appeared first on TeamCP.

SIGNATURE HOMES 

– CP PARTNER

The emerging athlete award helped me prepare for the multisport championships, The Kathmandu Coast to Coast, by providing a Nutritionist, Strength Coach and Multisport Coach. This was a massive help for me and guided me in the right direction to be fully prepared, confident to have a good race and be happy with my result. This Award also gave be the capability to attend the CP Squad missions in 2022.I really enjoyed the day out exploring and gaining some vertical meters in the snow as well!  It was nice to meet and greet other fellow Team CP athletes and hear their training journeys.

I have been a part of the team CP Community since the age of 13. I have been involved in the CP support crew for athletes competing in the Kathmandu Coast to Coast. I have many memories over the three years I helped, two memories that stuck with me the most was waking up at 3am to scrutineer the kayaks and then eating a bacon butty, and the other one would have to be when Jake Vargo but petrol in his diesel Ute towing the kayak trailer. we did break down!

I have known Richard Greer for about 6 years now, he has been my coach for 2 years starting in 2021 and has been amazing to work with. He is really supportive, especially when I was going through a few health issues  – post Covid having trouble with my chest and heart. I also struggled with sorting my medication for my epilepsy so had to work around these issues. These happened early of 2022 and took a few months to rest and recover. Few months later Richard and I started to put a training plan together, I was absolutely buzzing and ready to start training again for the 2022 Kathmandu Coast to Coast.

During my year as an the Signature Homes Emerging Athlete, I also received Strength Coaching from CP Strength Coach, Kim Vargo. Kim is extremely knowledgeable about strength and conditioning, knowing about injuries and ways to support them. She helped me become stronger for each discipline and I definitely noticed a difference during the training and during the race. Her workout’s definitely left me sore the next day, even a couple of days! Really appreciated having her as my strength coach and it was really nice to be coached by her!

CP Dietitian Cushla Jackson was a pleasure to work with, her understanding of Nutrition is inspiring and was beyond helpful for training and races. We spoke about many things that could improve my everyday nutrition and race nutrition, I learnt so much while working with her. This was extremely helpful and I will definitely take away what I learnt and continue to improve.

I would like to say a massive thank you to Signature Homes for opening this opportunity to help support young Athletes to help with future races. I am truly grateful for receiving this award, what an awesome experience it was!

The post Lexie Sinclair – her year as ‘Signature Homes Emerging Athlete’ appeared first on TeamCP.

NICOLE LOVEGROVE 

– CP ATHLETE

Over the past 2 years Nicole has spent time with TEAM CP training towards her goal of a half IRONMAN. And hit her goal she did!

Nicole competed at SUFFEREST in December, crossing the finish line as the first female and then backing that up with her big goal of Half IRONMAN, which she completed this year at IRONMAORI – 2nd in her age group and 6th overall. So good. Congratulations on your achievements Nicole.

Nicole says over the last 2 years with Team CP, coached by James and Fiona, she has learnt so much about herself and triathlons, which has been invaluable. James & Fiona helped her achieve her goals while recovering from RED-S, which Nicole says she would not have been able to overcome without them.

At TEAM CP we love celebrating alongside you, championing you in your journey and seeing you reach your goals.

You put the TEAM into TEAM CP.

The post Celebrating Nicole appeared first on TeamCP.