What to do when you lose running motivation.

A common thread I’ve heard this winter is a lack of motivation for running, working out, and just generally pursuing goals.

It could be winter blues, but honestly this type of feeling can strike any time of year.  

This is completely normal. It’s a sign you may be close to burnout, and you need a mental break.

It’s normal to not always feel like you’re in tip top shape. It IS normal to feel like every workout you’ve had for the past 2 weeks was a 4/10.

If you’re feeling this way, do not blame yourself. It truly happens to everyone from time to time.

I remember vividly fall of 2018, when I was trying to run my first 5 mile runs over a bridge in Miami. I started crying at the top of the bridge out of frustration - I needed to walk at mile 3 because I felt absolutely gassed.

My mind jumped quickly to “you’re not good enough for this!”

I remember comparing myself very quickly to everyone I know who had finished a half marathon - particularly the friends and family I knew that had ran sub 8 miles through their whole race.  

I was spiraling into a little pity party and decided to call a good friend on my run. She said something along the lines of this: 

“Emma - if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. And this is literally just one run… you can’t pin your whole self worth to one single rep of an activity that really doesn’t matter” 

and “running isn’t your career, it’s your exercise and pass time and it’s supposed to be enjoyable.”

Obviously I have a very kind, wise friend!

Her attitude is what I’ve adopted in later years. It definitely took me a while, but I never pin self worth to any activity or accomplishment (if anyone needs a reminder - you have worth simply by existing). 

But I’ve needed a tool box of ways I can get myself out of this mindset over the years.

One tool is realizing that literally every day is different, and brings different factors to the way you will perform. 

If you’ve slept poorly, haven’t eaten enough carbs or are generally really stressed, your running will 10000% be affected. 

Other tools involve making things more interesting in order to regain motivation. 

My favorite: Giving yourself a break from running altogether (just for a week or so! Not forever I swear!!) You may just need a little mental/physical break to get your mojo back. 

Other tips that have worked for my clients and me: 

1. Giving yourself a break from long, arduous runs, and switching up the way you workout. Going to a track or using a treadmill to do 8x400s instead of forcing yourself to do a long run that feels like torture is game-changing.  

2. Changing your perspective with a new route or terrain. I’m typically the type of girl who likes to run the same exact route every day. If I feel burnout coming on, I will go to a trail nearby or the beach and put zero pressure on myself, just alternate running and walking when I feel like it.

3. Spending a week lifting at the gym. If I feel burnt out from running, sometimes I’ll just spend the week only lifting at the gym, and maybe throw in some sprints at the end of my lifts. 

4. Joining a run club or running with a friend. Running can be very solitary, and that may be a feature you really love about it! But when you’re feeling low motivation, switching it up to have a conversation with someone as you run can be surprisingly very pleasant (even if you think you’d be too out of breath to talk!)

Main takeaway: It’s normal to feel waning motivation throughout your running life. Do NOT take it as a sign of laziness or a hallmark of self-worth. Use these tips to give yourself a break and you’ll come back way stronger!

P.S. You will not lose your race fitness by taking a week off! That’s why training programs are so long - it’s to give you security so you have leeway to take breaks as needed.

Hope this helps get you back on the path of joyful running!