Each Summer day is a precious opportunity. It’s a season that provides a unique platform to propel yourself toward being a different level of athlete.

This is your chance to take control. Don’t end the summer asking yourself if you could’ve done more with your Training. Soon enough, fall will hit us, and then the holidays — and many things will be out of your control. You’ll get buried in schoolwork, real work, every type of work that will take you away from improving as an athlete. So take advantage now. The only doubt that can ever come out of summer training will be: “Did I do enough?”— and that’s something completely, unequivocally, in your control.

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These four tips will help you motivate to make the most of the upcoming hot summer days.

1. START NOW

There’s no other stretch of the year when you’re without the obligations of some of the other responsibilities in your life. School’s out. The next season is months away. You have Summer Fridays at work. Kids are away at camp. Everyone’s got some extra time on their hands. But this is also a recipe that can lead to complacency. Don’t look at the three months of summer and think, “Hey, I can relax for a while. I’ll find the motivation to workout at some point before it’s over.” These months aren’t permanent. They’ll come and go, and before you know it you’ll look up and the season/marathon/weight goal is a week away. If you’re serious about improving as an athlete, strive to be better every day, not just when it’s convenient.

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2. SET BENCHMARKS

Tracking your progress is the best way to make sure (you guessed it) you make real progress. Having a week-by-week measure of accountability will not only keep you on a schedule, but it will inspire you as you see your statistics climb. No great leap in athleticism happens overnight, but it’s encouraging to see it build slowly. Apps like MyFitnessPal, UA Record or MapMyFitness will make this process even easier. Being able to track all your fitness goals and caloric intake online or on your phone is a luxury previous athletes didn’t have. It will give you an easy to follow and digestible readout of how effective your training truly is.

3. REMEMBER: PEOPLE ARE COUNTING ON YOU

Seriously, they are. Your family, friends, coworkers. This isn’t supposed to add extra pressure. It’s supposed to add a healthy dose of anxiety to the relaxing summer months. People want to see you succeed. Train with them. You don’t have to go it alone. If you’re working toward the same cause, train together. Having someone there to pick you up, or being able to pick up someone else, during the emptying training days of summer is crucial. Rely on those people in your life to stay on course.

4. LEARN HOW TO REWARD YOURSELF

This isn’t supposed to be a doomsday lecture about how grueling your summer needs to be in order to reach your athletic pinnacle. Be responsible with your training, and be responsible with everything else. You Deserve time off, you deserve to relax and you deserve to be rewarded. But it should be timely. Be self-aware about the type of athlete you want to be and the intensity of training that entails. Treat your body with respect. Take the day off when you deserve it.

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Indulge in a meal. Spend time away from anything training-related. When reflecting on the summer, you should feel accomplished in more than just your feats of athleticism. Have fun. Make memories with friends and family. Having said that, keep your priorities in line, and remember this:

This summer is yours for the taking.

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