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Runners World Articles: Archives - October 2001

Step Lively: Feeling down about your running lately? Time to reenergize mind and body.

So, did you go for a run today? If so, congratulations. If not, maybe it was a scheduled day off. That's always a good idea.

But if you missed your workout because you just didn't feel motivated to head out the door, that's not so good. Sure, everyone feels a bit unmotivated from time to time. If you're feeling that way on a regular basis, however, you could be on the verge of burnout. Or, maybe you're there already. Luckily, burnout is easy to overcome, especially if you take action as soon as you notice the warning signs. To that end, take the following quiz. A łyes˛ to any of the questions means you may need to take action. At right, we'll show you exactly what to do to reenergize your running.

Burnout Quiz A "yes" to any of these questions means you may need a boost (see below for remedies)

1. Are you unmotivated to run on 2 or more days per week?
2. After most runs these days, do you feel less satisfied than you had been feeling during the previous 1 to 3 months?
3. When you run a good time in a race, do you skip past the enjoyment of your achievement and immediately project ahead to your next goal?
4. When you run longer than usual, does it give you very little or no sense of achievement?
5. When you have a bad run, or a bad race, do you feel discouraged and defeated for several days or more?
6. Do you often find yourself looking for excuses to stop a run early?

1. Minimize mileage. If you reduce your mileage and the number of days you run per week at the first sign of burnout, you can rebound in as little as a week. Keep in mind that during times of burnout, it's better to take a zero on a recovery day than to run even slowly for a short distance. Try running every other day for a week to see if your motivation increases. For more serious burnout, you may need to stick to a 3-day running week for 2 months to make sure you are recovered. Or even take a week off completely.

2. Don't be a taskmaster. It's fine to have realistic performance goals. But remember: The key word here is realistic. Runners who expect specific performances every time they run are setting themselves up for disappointment. Instead, lay off the time goals for awhile. Celebrate every run, regardless of your time.

3. Stop and sell the roses (and I mean it). At least 1 day per week, schedule a tranquil run in a beautiful setting. Throughout the run, force yourself to take at least five 1-minute walk breaks, while you smell the flowers, take in the scenery, and simply appreciate the great outdoors.

4. Put on the brakes. Burnout often plagues runners who run daily at a pace that is too fast for them. In this case, you should slow sown by 1 to 2 minutes per mile, particularly during the first mile or two of every run. And cut out the speed sessions and races for a month.

5. Reward yourself. Some runners need tangible incentives to back off on their training. If this sounds like you, make a list of rewards you can earn by taking specific actions to cut back on your mileage or intensity. Hang up your list in easy view so that you can remind yourself of your new goals and the rewards thay can bring. For example, to focus on taking walk breaks, promise yourself a massage after you take regular walk breaks for three runs in a row. Or, if taking days off from running is really difficult for you, reward yourself with a new piece of running gear after you take off a few extra days during a given month.