I have been a runner all my life and have had the privilege of participating in various marathons around the world. It’s my outlet, my time to be outside and ponder, and contribute to my overall wellness. However, doing an activity like this can become stagnant, especially after how long I have been doing it. The truth is even things we are passionate about require a boost or inspiration from time to time.
Trying to renew that passion can be frustrating. No one likes the feeling of being lost or lethargic about something you once revered. So, how do we regain that optimism and excitement? Having recently experienced this myself, I’d like to share with you what helped me get back on track and excited about running.
1. Accept that it’s ok to get “bored.”
All too often we are hard on ourselves, believing that if we become sluggish and uninspired, something is wrong. It is normal to hit a wall every now and again.
2. Recognize that you need a new challenge.
Don’t spend too much time sulking at your plateau, as that can lead to complete abandonment. Acknowledge that you need to seek out some new ideas and set a timeframe to collect and assess new challenges.
3. Talk to others with perspective on the matter.
More than likely others in your network have experienced something similar. Use them as a guide, resource and support to help you pinpoint what caused your setback and what ideas they have to regenerate you. This is also a great exercise because other people can sometimes see things that you don’t.
4. List your options and weight them.
Literally, list your ideas and assign ratings of excitement, practicality and achievability. This helps eliminate right away what isn’t feasible and shrinks a somewhat daunting idea list down to size.
5. Map the pathway to success.
You identified the next challenge and the final step is laying out how you will accomplish it. Determine what actions you need to put in place to make it happen and that will yield success.
Having used these guidelines to get myself back on track, my solution to “runner’s block” was to become a coach and help others find their passion for the sport. We have a team of 18 PreGel employees who will be running a half marathon in November, and rather than stress myself about improving my time, I will be running alongside new runners encouraging them with every step. I feel rejuvenated knowing that I can now take my passion to another level.