Finding the love

[pinkaardvark]

Since graduating about 3 weeks ago I have managed to keep up the running regularly, including my first park run, a xmas morning cross country field slog(mud), and around 5-6 5k's (i'm not a great one for tracking stuff)

But I often find it hard to get out of the door, not always enjoyable to run but I'm always rewarded with an amazing sense of accomplishment once I have finished.

As someone who started out hating running, grew to tolerate it and even now may suspiciously enjoy it I do wonder if I do enjoy it or I just love getting it over with.

I do want to keep going long term, and don't feel currently in danger of stopping but I do wish I just loved it a bit more.

How do others work on finding the love? I know some it's love at first sight, but for some it must be a smouldering burn ??

[Whatsapp Graduate]

I love everything about running except the bit where I have to go out the door, and, for the most part - the first mile or so.

I don't think I will ever get away from this, but I always enjoy the run and the feeling of being a runner. Not every run is equally satisfying, but I have learnt to accept that too.

For me, the interest, especially at this time of year, is maintained by setting goals, whether they be for better PBs, increasing distance, or simply registering for a particular race that has caught my eye.

Some of us go out to run just because we can, and of course that is nice, but for me long-term I need to have something to focus on as well to keep the interest levels up.

[Jan-52 Graduate]

Hi Interesting post. You say you love it and always feel better once you get out the door! And you want to keep it up long term So where is the doom coming from ? A little bit of self doubt maybe ? Allow yourself to keep doing what you know you love, have committed to and enjoy!

After graduating, it’s now part of my routine. I haven’t set myself any further goals to increase speed or distance or anything, I just enjoy it and enjoy seeing the difference now, like how my pace is so much better and hey yes I still have good days and bad days when the runs are not always perfect, but for me the incentive is always how good I feel when I do run. I run 3 times a week generally for 30 mins and I love the health benefits it gives me. Gives me great stamina if I am feeling a bit low or out of sorts! And I know it helps improve my health and immune system so what other encouragement do I need ?

Keep going at your own pace!

[DebJogsOn Graduate]

I started to love it as I've come to regard it as completely my time. I have a hectic job and lots of commitments at home so really relish 30 minutes to myself, outdoors, listening to something from the radio I'd otherwise have missed.

Since graduating I've taken the pressure off - if the weather's completely crap or I'm knackered after work I'll postpone a run to the next day and I always tell myself if I haven't settled into a run after 10 minutes I can go home. Even with that 'freedom' there are only a couple of weeks where I've not completed 3 runs and I've only given up on a run once (due to an asthma attack).

I'm still keen to improve overtime and the fitness aspect and amazement at what I can do keeps me motivated too (though have no intetest in racing or running with others at the moment). But really it's running as therapy I enjoy - time and headspace to myself that's also good for me 😊.

That all sounds a bit hippyish I know - and there are some dark evenings after work when I wonder what I'm thinking of as I set off - but I just remind myself how good I'll feel after.

Hope you find your running happy place soon.

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to DebJogsOn]

This reflects pretty precisely how I feel about running too

[pinkaardvark Graduate]

I think I need to find a way to inject some change without it putting me off. I'm quite fragile with regard to change, ie little things can easily put me off (like wearing a hat I don't normally wear or forgetting my headtorch). I'm still running listening to week9 podcast as again I find it difficult to break patterns that I find work. I did my first parkrun listening to wk9 lol. Part of that is because I run with an ipod nano as my phone is the size of an ironing board(samsung s6 edge plus), but the nano isn't very flexible.

So I think my goal will be to try some new routes and the audio fuel podcasts and not to worry about doing 5k every time. I have ordered a runners belt so I can carry my phone instead of the ipod so i'm no just limited to laura and her podcasts

[DebJogsOn Graduate in reply to pinkaardvark]

Sounds like a good plan. I also think planning new routes keeps me interested - I save these for weekend runs.

[Jan-52 Graduate]

Yes I do ! and it all makes sense what you say and with all your committents you have it’s more challenging. Yet it’s also so fantastic that you realize how valuable this time is to YOU, me time !! And oh how better off your family and work colleagues are by you doing this for yourself. A wonderful gift you give yourself !!!

For me I travel a lot and and bringing running into this was a challenge in the beginning, should I take my trainers or not, I won’t have time or feel like it I am sure. But OMG I can’t tell you how happy I felt when I took them as it happened and I felt so much better for it !!

[bsimonuk]

I am like you . I really like running but getting out of the door is very hard sometimes . I have to keep reminding myself that I just have to carry on keeping it up 3 times a week because it took me such a long time to get where I am now! I am also so happy each time when it is over. At the beginning of each run I still find It hard going most of the time but towards the end it gets easier .