LOLZLetter 252 | The "B" Word
Welcome,
While usually a "running newsletter," let's talk about the "B" word. Burnout. Burnout can actually relate to running, and I've definitely had a few running burnouts that caused me not to want to run. But the current burnout I have is not related to running. It's related to everything else! It feels like the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is exhausting. Between being busy the first few weeks of December at work, trying to get back into running, and even blogging, I don't feel like I have any "me time". As I work through that and try to remember to take things off my plate, say no, and that it's only temporary, I figured it would be a good time to relate to running burnout.
How can you “beat running burnout”?
Beat might not be the right word here because to beat it, it usually it involves taking a break. There is no short answer and often, it takes a lot of time. A few years ago, I found myself overcooked with running. I kept saying: things would get better. I found myself stale and like I didn't want to run, but yet for some reason I kept running.
I remember thinking on several occasions: The next great race was “just around the corner.”
It never was, and I found myself getting slower and more miserable. At the April Fools Half Marathon in 2017, when I ran yet another not great race, I decided I didn't want to run anymore. So I didn't. I didn't run for almost 4 months because I didn't feel like it. Sometimes (and most commonly), the best way to beat a running burnout is to stop running. It's okay. The world does not end if you don't run your goal race (I say that to myself the day after the California International Marathon, the goal race I decided to skip).
So how can you tell if you are developing a running burnout?
What does the term burnout even mean?
Burnout isn’t limited to running. Obviously, my current burnout isn't. It's everything else. Work is a common burnout. Having too much on your plate, is a common burnout.
Finally, keep in mind I’m not a doctor, and this isn’t a list to diagnose you.
Here are a few signs of a running burnout:
Performance Drops: Are you getting slower but working the same, or maybe more? Consider that you might be overtrained which is causing your burnout.
You Don’t Enjoy It: No one likes running all of the time, no matter what social media tells you. My own rule is this: If I find that I don't enjoy running (and I mean really don't enjoy running) for a week straight, I take some time off. Obviously there are a few things that can play a role here: if it's super windy that your neighbor's trampoline went airborne, who really wants to run? But really ask yourself: are you enjoying that?
Trouble Sleeping/Relaxing: Have you found yourself unable to turn off and just relax? Do you find yourself tossing and turning for a hobby?
You’re Moody: Your body does not know paces in running, but it does know stress. Stress is stress, and running burnout can start to affect other parts of your life. It can affect mood, friendships, and personal relationships. If you find yourself getting angry or losing your temper more often, you could be on your way to a running burnout.
How can you beat a running burnout?
The best answer is to take a break. Yes, really, just stop running.
Some other things:
Try something new. Train for a type of race you never would. (Seriously, if you've been training for a marathon consider training for a fast 5k). Cross-train with a different sport. Run with a group. Run without a group. Run on trails.
Do something you thought you might never do. Try a new workout. When I was burned out in 2017, I got into the pool and decided I liked swimming again.
Change where you run: Run on trails. Run on the Track. Run on the Treadmill. Run on Roads. Change your routes. Change everything you can about where you run so it feels completely different. Even the time you run (if that's possible) Come back when you are ready:
Start running again when you WANT to. Don't sign up for a race that puts you on a timeline. Run when you are ready, whenever that is.
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