Have You Lost That Loving Feeling?

Ross Gribble. 31st May 2020

It’s no small fact that running and exercise is fantastic for our wellbeing - the rush of endorphins, the post-race high, and the guilt free treats we reward ourselves with after a hard work out make us feel good. The mental and physical stamina gained helps us not only to run stronger and faster but helps in our day to day lives as well. The satisfaction of completing a challenge and overcoming obstacles in our way is what drives many of us to get out there and pound the pavements.

However, there are times when we can fall out of love with running, which can leave us feeling frustrated, disappointed, and miserable. This can be for several reasons:

  • Hitting a “plateau” / “wall”
  • Recurring injuries
  • Failure to reach a goal
  • Completing a goal
  • Over training
  • Work / life balance

You are not alone – almost every runner out there has times when they feel like this, it’s perfectly normal to have these feelings, it’s part of being human. But you shouldn’t let these emotions ruin your motivation and stop you from doing what you enjoy.

 

If you’re finding you’ve lost that loving feeling, there are several things you can do:

  1.  Go back to basics – slow down and just go out for a run at your own pace, look at the scenery, reconnect and rediscover why you started running in the first place and most of all, just enjoy the experience!
  2.  Adjust your aim - pick a goal you really care about, make it a run that you’ll find interesting. If you don’t like road running, try a trail run. If you keep getting injuries with long distance running, try a 5k.
  3.  Plan –– If you’re not making the gains, ask a coach to look through your training plan with you, it might be that your lacking some important elements like strength and conditioning or you could be pushing yourself too much, make sure the plan works for you. It’s always good to routinely evaluate your training plan. If you don’t have a training plan, it can be useful to have one. If you’re unsure where to start, the coaches are on hand to help you with this.
  4.  Advice - talk to someone, a friend, a coach, an experienced member of your running club. You’ll be surprised how much help and information is available if you ask for it.
  5.  Rest – It’s important to look after yourself. So, use your rest days, slow your pace down, and take some time off from the hard miles. Just remember that when you come back you’ll need to ease in gently.

Remember you are more than your PB! It’s all about the journey and not the finish line!

 

I have read several articles, and resources but the advice I have given is mainly from my own personal experience. All feedback is welcome, contact me at r.j.gribble@gmail.com)