That’s an awkward title for a first post in a blog about running.
You see, there’s a misconception floating around that you’re supposed to enjoy running every single time, and that if you don’t, there’s something wrong with you. That’s quite the pressure to put on yourself while doing something that’s meant to help take some weight off your shoulders.
I genuinely believe, and that comes from my experience of running for the last 15 years, that this is not true. Most runs are neither good nor bad, they are just average, plain old runs. Neutrality is something worth accepting, even embracing. I remember when I was a kid in the 80s, summer afternoon nap time was a period when everybody kept quiet. That’s when I learned to appreciate stillness, neutrality, even boredom, and understand that you don’t have to be enjoying, improving or fully “living the moment” all the time.
This stance appears to be counterintuitive in today’s online running culture which tends to highlight constant dedication, enthusiasm and success. This doesn’t mean people are dishonest, but that the medium favours certain moments over others. But over time, this can create the impression that running is full of peaks or that only peak moments are worth sharing when in reality your average runs are far more common than exceptional ones.
So how do you keep running if you don’t love it or don’t show that you love it? With averageness comes neutrality and with neutrality comes routine. Routine is what keeps you running even when you don’t feel like it. You can run without wanting to run when not running feels like something’s missing. If I don’t run on a Sunday morning, there’s a part of my routine that is broken; like skipping my morning cup of coffee or not brushing my teeth before bed. I’ve run on Sunday mornings after hard partying, long night outs, sleepless nights when my children were babies, or mornings when I just wanted stay under the bedsheets. Sunday running is simply part of my routine and it keeps me on the run even when I don’t feel like it.
This is where enjoyment comes in. It happens sometimes. There are winter mornings, crisp and clear, with a slight cold breeze, when I’m running by the sea, or early spring afternoons, when the sun is starting to set and bathe the place in its golden hue, that running is actually enjoyable. Enjoyment is a byproduct that happens when circumstances allow it, not a requirement.
To me, success is running often enough to keep it in your life. It can be once a week, twice a week, or even once a month, but it needs to be part of a routine. Not loving running or not feeling enthusiastic about it each time you put on your shoes and head out the door is not failure. It’s just a way to keep running in your life.
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