Perhaps a feeling with which you're familiar?

Ask the second of three children, a 20-week pregnant woman, the filling of an Oreo: The middle is a tough place to be. A training plan is no exception. You’ve come so far—if you’re half-marathon bound, you can now run for over an hour, no prob—and yet, staring down the next 6 weeks, you realize your work is far from over. Race day is still nowhere on the horizon.

Here are a few ways to keep you chugging along to the start line:

—Reward yourself. When you’re really dreading a run, think of something you really want to do, post-run, then do it. Nothing to sabotage the work you’ve done—no super value combos at McD’s, thank you—but something that will enhance your efforts. Maybe it’s a flirty new skirt or a pair of socks. Or could be a matinee after a long Sunday run.

Bonus for early-morning birds: sunrises that wow.

—Make all your runs early morning runs. Lay out your running clothes the night before, then just roll out of bed, get dressed, and head out. The fewer chances you give yourself to hem and haw and make why-I-can’t-run-now excuses, the better. And when you’ve still got wet drool on your cheek, your brain isn’t firing hard enough to protest a run. (This isn’t scientifically proven—yet!—but plenty of anecdotal evidence supports the theory.)

—Think day by day. And mile by mile. Don’t worry about this weekend’s long run when it’s only Tuesday. Do today’s run, then see what’s on the schedule for tomorrow. Similarly, don’t stress about an 11-mile run at mile 2. Just trust you have the ability (you do, if you’ve been following a plan) and take it—wait for the cliché—one step at a time.

—Speed it up. Sounds counter-intuitive: I’m not sure I can finish this training plan, and you want me to go harder? As a matter of fact, yes. By challenging yourself to run a little faster or throw in an extra hill—then clearing the hurdle—you give yourself a big pat on the back. Sometimes, a solid reminder of your capabilities is spark enough to keep going.

—Skip out on a workout. Instead, take a yoga class or walk with a friend or just call it an extra rest day. You can’t make it a habit, obviously, but skipping a 3- to 5-mile run won’t affect your race-day performance.

—Finally, check your nutrition and hydration. Being dehydrated—not needing to pee every two to four hours, and having pee that resembles lager instead of lemonade—can make you feel sluggish and unmotivated. Ditto for too much sugar. Drink water consistently all day long, and limit the cookies and candy. After all, the sweetest treat ever—the satisfaction of knowing you met your goal through tough times­­— will be waiting at the end of 13.1 miles.