From grind to gratitude
Find joy in the little things and your running experience will become much easier
The ability to run is one of the most fundamental elements of being human. It links us back to our ancestors, hunting on plains and in forests to survive. There are few better feelings than the satisfaction that can come during or at the end of a run.
But to say it always feels fun would be a lie. Often it’s a real grind.
I have plenty of days when I struggle to find the motivation to get out the door.
Usually I’m OK because of all the work that I’ve put into my system, embodied by the other 4 pillars of my approach: I follow a system, I train smartly, I’m patient. And I allow time for recovery.
In many ways, it’s this approach that makes the fifth pillar - enjoyment! - attainable.
It’s putting in all the work and seeing it pay off over time. Training for months building up to a marathon or another race and then realising my potential on the day. Knowing I gave it everything I could.
That’s one of the “big” enjoyment moments. These are the big payoffs. But these only come around every so often.
It’s easy to get lost in a training block and lose perspective. I’ve had plenty of times when going for another run just feels like a chore.
To counter this, I’ve learned to savour the smaller moments too. There is much joy to be found in the simple things:
Getting out of work after a stressful day and just getting some miles done to recentre myself.
Finding a new trail or path through nature and soaking up the greenery or water views.
Feeling warm sun on my skin in the early morning.
Meeting up with friends every Tuesday to get another session done.
Learning to enjoy these small moments has made a huge difference for me.
I’ve learned to enjoy being in the moment, putting one foot in front of the other, and feeling grateful to be out there.
Running is my meditation. I’m alone with my thoughts and use it as time to work stuff out mentally, or sometimes just let my mind wander.
Even on a morning when I’m tired and sore and would rather be in bed, I know I’ll usually feel better for having gotten out for 20 or 30 minutes. And that’s almost always the case.
Running also gives me a sense of being in control of my life.
I first got seriously into it when the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns began. At the time, I wrote about how my fitness and routine were one thing I felt like I could have control over in a world where so much choice was suddenly taken away from us.
I’ve learned to savour every run, knowing I can’t take it for granted. I won’t always be able to do this.
These are some of my perspectives on what I enjoy about running and what gets me out the door.
Some of yours will be similar. And others will be different.
Whatever brings you joy, doesn’t really matter.
Just remember what drew you to running in the first place, and what you enjoy about it, and never lose sight of that.
Draw on that when things get hard and motivation suffers. It will keep you going.
The little moments of joy will power you to those big payoffs that make all the training and early starts feel worthwhile.
To find out about how Inner Best Running can design a training program that works for you, get in touch via the link below.
