I have been running for nearly my entire adult life, it’s probably been about 28 years since I entered my first “fun run.” Since that time, I’ve run countless road, trail and obstacle races, at nearly every distance from one mile to 50 miles! Obviously, I love running – but, I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it’s hard to love the run your with, especially when it’s a bonk.
Read on to learn how to find more joy in the journey!
Some days, it’s just inherently easier to find joy in a run. The weather is beautiful, the scenery is spectacular, the company is good and my body is rising to the demands of the occasion. Other days, none of these easy joy-makers that I take for granted are in the mix and, to add insult to injury, an army of obstacles have popped up making it harder to love the run. Maybe it’s the nagging symptom of a potential/old injury, dragging feeling of poor nutrition or lack of sleep, over ambitious and unmet performance expectations, lack of focus, desire and appreciation – and so on (just mentioning some relevant issues with me, ha-ha).
Here’s how to love the run you’re with and make it a more joyful experience:
Give Thanks to Brain and Body. Whether you run snail pace or Olympic qualifier pace, give thanks that your brain and body actually work in tandem to move you from point A to point B – what a team! Your body will only go where your mind will let it, so if you psychologically shut down, your fatigued body will quickly follow suit. A joyful mind, will lead even the most fatigued by example.
Eat Carbs: Did you know that during a run, your brain needs carbs just as much as your muscles. A glycogen-deleted brain will tell your body to halt in its tracks. So, bring joy to your life and run, by allowing yourself to eat a healthy meal that includes carbs before your run (and during if it’s a long one). Carbs = Joy!
Embrace Grit over Giving Up: There are many, many times I’ve wanted to give up on a hard run or race. It would be so easy to DNF, quit, walk off the course and never look back. But, the truth is, I would look back . . . and with a bad memory, joy would be sucked from that experience. That’s why, unless I am in significant pain (as in injury) or risking a medical crisis, I continue to grit it out and finish a race. I can remember standing on the entry stairs of the SAG Wagon (bus that transports distressed runners who can’t finish race) and thinking, “do I really want to do this? How much grit do I have?” Instead, I stepped off the bus, that hadn’t moved an inch, and finished the race for a then 2-minute marathon PR of 2:54. A PR! For all intensive purposes, I had 99.9% quit the race and then rallied to get a PR! Really in most races, even for elites, it’s the experience . . . not the finish place or time that counts in the big picture of what life is really about. My post on How To Get Your Groove Back On During a Marathon might help too!
Tune In / Tune Out: If you are looking to love the run you’re with, often tuning “in,” tuning “out” or a combination of both can be the answer – depending on the situation and your personality. For some, there is joy and energy drawn externally from the scenery, the crowds cheering, the commotion and competition surrounding your body and engaging your senses. For others, joy is found internally, from thoughts, silent mantras and prayers, constant feedback from body and mind. As an introvert, I lean toward the “tuning out” and drawing joy and energy internally rather than externally. (Side note, so many times, friends and family have said “did you see me standing along the course,” “did you hear me screaming,” or will ask me later about the terrain and landmarks of the race and I will have absolutely no idea, I am so turned inward during the run).
Bring or Make a Friend: If a run needs to turn from “oh boy” to “joy,” a friend can often help improve the experience, especially if you are an extrovert. Running with a partner has been shown to improve accountability, performance and attitude – -it can make you love the run you’re with! If you are dreading a run, schedule a date with a similar-paced acquaintance to help make the experience more pleasant. This type of comradery and friendly competition does wonders for keeping running fresh and fun. Also, making a new friend on the course of a race can also bring more joy to the experience, given your new friend is someone who wants to engage while on the go (remember, introverts may be so completely tuned into themselves during a race that they don’t even hear you say “Hi”.) Another idea – run with your dog!
Lower Your Expectations: As a lifelong competitive runner, “lowering your expectations” seems like a weird thing for me to say. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t strive to perform your best, but in the end, the only important thing you need to know about loving the run you’re with is that you were exactly where you needed to be, when you needed to be there. Fate. And, if that means gutting it out, slowing down to help a friend to the finish, or taking the win . . . it’s all honorable and worthy.
Run without a Watch: Again, as someone who has judged her self-worth by the second hand on a GPS Watch for so many years, this seems a foreign thing to say. But, I’ve found letting go of tangible time has made running more fun and worthwhile. When I can give up logging my miles, my split times, my VO2 Max, my heart rate, I can spend more time running for pure joy. Of course, there are times when I want and need to know these performance benchmarks but I always remember they do not equate to my importance and value as a human being. If you are in a race situation that is going poorly, letting go of the “time,” focusing on things that bring you joy, and bringing your mind/body back into a calmer place, you can most usually recharge for a rally to the finish line.
Physical performance is more than just putting hard work and training to the test, it’s also interwoven with the way we think about ourselves, our circumstances, and our attitude. What are you doing to bring more joy to your runs, to “love the run you’re with”? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer
I’ve had my share of disappointing runs and races over the years, especially this past year where I’ve experienced a huge slowdown. While I still love nothing more than a hard, fast run, I’ve made peace with the run/walk intervals and I’ll use them when I’m struggling. I’ve decided that I won’t sacrifice the joy of running for disappointment over a slow finish time! Feeling good at the finish and enjoying the experience is more important to me than anything now. But hey, if the race gods want to throw a fast finish time at me, I’ll take that too–icing on the cake!
I feel ya on all of this! Plus, it’s been hard to learn for me not to compare myself to my 20 year old self. That quote, comparison is thief of joy . . . even if you are comparing you to you!
I love this, I’m a big believer in making running something you love versus something that feels stressful or like a chore. It’s good to allow yourself to be where you are in your run and not add stress to each run – I always try to have a few runs where I don’t run with a watch or track my pace and then others where I deliberately do. During races, I just let the run happen and realize that somedays are gonna be great, others not so much!
After timing myself my whole life running, keeping stats, a few years ago I was just done with it, or at least needed a break. So I ran without a watch for almost 2 years . .I can remember being in races and feeling a little stressed out about it and shouting out to guys around me, “what’s our pace” haha. Anyway, in January I went back to the garmin for some, but not all of my runs. I needed more accountability, but am still enjoying the joy in many runs without!