If you’re reading this, I’m a bit more than a month away from running my first marathon. Before you offer any encouragement (although I’ll gladly take it), I want to share a bit of reality and offer my encouragement if you’re simply trying to keep your fitness motivation going - runner or not.
When I signed up for this race last Summer, I was teaching three classes a week at my gym. Since signing up for the race, I now lead six regularly scheduled classes, and routinely sub for others as needed. Each week, I instruct two cycling classes, two yoga/Pilates/mobility classes, and two resistance training classes.
While my schedule is about as well balanced as it could be for both my instructor role and my running regimen, managing them in addition to my full time job as a professor, and my full time job as a mom has been really hard. (No surprise there.)
The running program I was originally following was a 16 week long, 5 runs per week routine with long runs on Sunday. After only making 2-3 runs per week happen for the first 6 weeks of training, I had to make some changes. So, I dropped a day of running, and opted for a M/W/F weekly run, moved the long runs to Saturday mornings, and dedicated Sundays to recovery. All of my regular group fitness classes are scheduled during the week, so that at least ensured the long runs would happen on the weekends.
Even with the schedule tweak, the training has been spotty at best (and that’s probably generous). But here’s the thing: my only goals are to 1) finish the race and 2) avoid injury. The majority of the time, when we set fitness goals for ourselves, we set these obscenely lofty goals that are unrealistic. In the beginning, when I set out to determine my race pace, finish time, etc., I kept worrying about the numbers and lost sight of the simplest goal I originally had: to finish well.
Finishing well means:
I can walk if I need to
I’ll take time to enjoy the moment
I’ll celebrate every mile that my feet carry me
I’ll savor the feeling that never gets old: being part of a collective body of movement. (No lie, I get emotional in races because it makes me so unbelievably happy to see people enjoying movement.)
If you don’t take the time to make the miles (or insert whatever metric that applies to you) count, then you’re not only missing out on the countless other benefits that fitness can offer you, but you’re likely fostering negative self-dialogue every time your training gets derailed.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with challenging yourself, setting the goals, and doing the things. However, once you’ve lost the joy as a result of the excessive parameters you’ve placed on yourself, you’re also more likely to lose your momentum.
Exercise is not solely meant to be an effort in suffering. Find the reasons why you love to do the things you do and honor the movement for all of the ways that it helps you grow.
The funny thing is, I don’t really love running as a form of exercise. I love running for all of the other things that it offers me: time in nature, a quiet mind, grit, and feeling those deep, cleansing breaths. Those are the things that keep me going, even when the training isn’t perfect.
The miles you’ve run are miles that you wouldn’t have run otherwise. Every step is an achievement. Let’s celebrate any win that we can, regardless of who carries the trophy.
Simply Fit is a free, weekly newsletter written by Dr. Amanda Durall, a Kinesiology professor, fitness professional, and busy mom who aims to simplify exercise science and deliver practical recommendations to help you achieve your fitness goals. Want more free content like this delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe for training tips, technique overviews, and evidence-based fitness content.