Has anyone stopped runnin

[L.F.F.]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're well.

I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this, or any experience of it - falling out of love with running.

I started running with my wife in 2009, and then got addicted... Started out with the Lakeland 50 in 2010, before being introduced to actual fell running by Ian Barnes of Ambleside. Which lead to me doing Langdale for five of the next six years, driving up from Leicester for a good few other races and reccies (including a two day trip that involved a reccie of Wasdale on the Saturday and Ennerdale for pudding on the Sunday) - I'd think nothing of driving up there to do these things.

But recently, things have started to wane. The first signs were when I started to actually consider the hours it took to drive to and from the Lake District! Then the races dwindled.

I've had a couple of wavering moments in the past that have always come and gone, and going out for training runs has never been that easy, but I've never questioned doing it at all like I am now. Entering a fresh event has normally given me the motivation to get on with it, but I've entered two events in 2018 and they aren't doing the trick either.

Sorry for the agony aunt post. I'm just really interested to know if others had gone through this. After nine years of running, it sort of becomes who you are to an extent.

I haven't posted for a good while, but I couldn't think of a better place to ask than the place that I associate with the days when, for me, running was at its best!

Thanks!

[doughty84]

Hi Josh
Went through a similar thing recently. Loved doing ultra races and took the plunge to do the 2017 Lakeland 100. Trained my backside off and was the fittest I'd ever been going into the Highland fling which I would treat as a tune up race. Hated every minute of the race, even though I finished top 30 and was a massive struggle to finish. After that I just kept asking myself "what's the point" and feeling super guilty heading out for a run and leaving my wife and boy at home.

A few weeks after the Fling I pulled out of doing my goal race the Lakeland 100 and haven't run consistently since. I have the odd "good" run and still have fun with it but I've definitely realised it's not who I am any more. Maybe in the future I'll get back to my former running self but for now I'm not feeling the love.

All the best, Chris

[Derby Tup]

I haven’t run much since my BG in 2011. More comebacks than Sinatra. Years come and go with I’ll do the Lakeland Classics or something interesting. Funnily enough I’m just about to go out in the rain with Stef but it’s not training; just a run out

[PeteS]

3 years ago I got injured and was out for while but turned to cycling in order to try and keep some semblance of fitness. I think before the injury I was the fittest I had ever been but after blowing up at Borrowdale Fell Race I really started to question why I was doing it. I plainly wasn't enjoying it and even the satisfaction of finishing had started to wane. These days I am definitely more of a cyclist and the running takes a back seat. Mrs S also lost her running mojo in 2017. Too many marathons, too much training etc.
so this year we have both vowed to run when we feel like it, only enter races we think we will enjoy and above all, have a good time whilst running. It is supposed to be relaxing and a pleasure and after all, that's why we both do it. So in that vain I'm continuing with my cycling, doing a few sportives and only running once a week with the wife and dog. Have a few fell races planned (Long mynd valleys next week for one) but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't finish in the top 50%. Get out there, take in that glorious scenery and above all, enjoy it. That is the moto for 2018.
Good luck Josh with whatever you decide to do.

[Stagger]

After 12 years of running/racing. I haven't been out since last Easter.

Mental illness and divorce being my two main reasons.

I want to get back but lack the motivation.

[Travs]

I experienced similar in Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) when I was competing at a reasonably good level(i.e. a low level professional in the UK). This was mainly due to the sheer grind of doing 40-50 hours a week at work, and training up to three hours a night on top of that, combined with a very severe diet.

I guess it's a danger whenever a hobby/pastime becomes something more than that (an obsession?).

Eventually lead to me knocking it on the head. Although more to do with the lifestyle I had to lead to become reach a high level, rather than falling out of love with the sport itself. I even seriously considered moving to Thailand permanaently to take it up as a full time professional, so I can't have hated it that much!

In terms of running, I'm fairly new to the sport, this year will be my third full season racing, so I'm still enjoying new races, improving my times at regular races, and pushing myself further, so it's not too much of a worry at this stage. I do occasionally feel a bit of frustration at having to drag myself out to another cold, dark track or road session, or endless big hill treadmill sessions. But at the moment I'm reaping the benefits of the hard work so it's nothing major. I'm very competitive so perhaps that helps me keep at it.

On reflection, I certainly don't regret for a minute that I got away from local football, then kickboxing, and eventually found my way to Fell running. My biggest regret is that I didn't do it sooner, as I wanted to do it for years.

Having said all that, it amazes me how my club mates can get themselves up for regular training, all for year on year of dull road races. I guess everyone has their own motivation, so who am i to question it...

[BillJ]

My tuppence worth is that I think it helps being part of a social local fell running club with a lot of different people you can have a laugh with.

You meet up with your clubmates weekly, or whatever, and when the mojo to run & race is low, the running can be second to just enjoying the company and camaraderie.
Volunteering to help out at races also has much the same effect.
The mojo to run & race ebbs and flows, and as long as you're still in that running world, when it comes back round you're ready to get back into it.

[Derby Tup]

Absolutely spot-on Bill. I don’t particularly miss racing (I’m rubbish anyway) but miss the social side of (fell)running way more

[Manhar]

Bill's hit the nail Lff. Just a few years ago I was training for the longer stuff & would easily get out of bed at silly o'clock to drive either locally or to the lakes for a long day on the hill but I've hardly raced at all in the last 2 years due to injury/real life intervening and did lose my mojo for a good part of last year. Now I still marshal at races and go out with a group of young people once a week with Fell pony George (forgotten his forum name- the Master ?) to train& encourage them.
My mojo is slowly returning to the extent where I'm still dreaming big dreams eg the summer edition of the spine challenger, maybe next year.....

[wheezing donkey]

One other consideration is not to be obsessed with doing 'the big stuff' ..... Lakeland Classics etc. When running at my best (mid 1980's & U/A) my training consisted of fast(ish) lunchtime runs from work ( 4 miles/350 feet in 28 minutes ) Mon-Fri then up at 05.00 on Sat for 2 to 3 hours on Clougha Pike / Ward's Stone and home to have breakfast / all day with the family. I guess it helps being located 'oop N' (Lancaster).
Nowadays, getting out on the local fells for evening runs with my Bowland FR clubmates and the Lancaster Park Run seem to keep me motivated; but I'm now in my late 60's and you might accuse me of having 'shrinking horizons', although I don't think my knees would now survive big mileages, hence all day outings are on one of the bikes - mostly the fixie at the moment.
Another consideration is to look at the habits of the old harriers' clubs .... they would just run anything going on in the locality, be it road, XC or fell without travelling vast distances.

Regards being resident in Leicestershire, just look at some of the posts from Anthony Kay (anthonykay) who seems to thoroughly enjoy himself on and around Beacon Hill; back in the 1980's he was knocking out some impressive personal challenge runs ..... I recall a FRM article on a round of the Munroes of the Glen Lyon watershed.

With regards to divorce, I had a mate whose wife 'did a runner' one autumn. All through the winter he channeled his angst and put in some phenomenal fell race performances the following year .... it's not what happens to you, it's how you handle what happens to you.

Ian Roberts, Bowland Fell Runners.