Regaining the love...

I know I absolutely love running, but sometimes you forget the deep love that got you into it that keeps you going at all times. Lockdown was the true test for this passion. Many, including myself, found that the initial prospect of having no definite races in the diary had a significant impact on our motivation levels. We have never before, except when injured, been unable to race when we wanted to. Whilst frustrating, you wonder what is going to keep you going with no races in the diary. However, through this brief period of wondering what the point is, you don’t stop training hard and working towards your goals, even if it is with less determination for a little while. So, what is it that keeps us going? Even when we don’t have the drive of racing.

Something I used to know, and have rediscovered during lockdown, is that I love training. Even without imminent races to work towards, I love the feeling of working hard to achieve my long-term goals. I love the way I have purpose to everyday, which running provides, and even if I just have a short easy run, I feel like I am getting one small step closer to my dreams. It sounds cheesy, but the ability wake up and do something each day to get to where you want to be, makes you feel like you are always being productive. Every day, even on rest days, I know I am doing everything I can to work towards being the best version of myself.

​It isn’t only this, but also the mere act of running. It is such a simple sport that can be performed anywhere, even from our own home, and lockdown has proven how easy it is to do. Lots of people won’t understand, but to every runner out there, they will know how easy it is to love the sport. I can’t even explain what it is about running that I enjoy, but the sport makes you feel happy in your own skin. I love how I can go for a run and have had loads of worries in my mind throughout the day, but as soon as I get running, my mind goes blank and suddenly they don’t seem like problems anymore.

Before lockdown, I had begun to majorly overthink everything. I was getting so worried and nervous before, during and after all my training, that I had lost the enjoyment for it. I would work myself up so much and put way too much pressure on myself that I had forgotten the true reason I run, because I love it. Yes, we want to work towards our goals and yes, we want to achieve, but none of it is worth it if we don’t enjoy the journey. I am also a firm believer that we do our best when we enjoy what we our doing.

So, there is no point worry away our joy for the sport, or there is no point in doing it. More important than all our goals, both long and short term, is the passion for it. Don’t lose sight of this. When training or racing isn’t going as we hope, it is this that keeps us going.