Burnout to Bliss Again-Rediscover the joy of Running

"Keep the Fire Burning", as much effortless as it sounds, it takes conscious effort, active thought and reinventing yourself for you to keep the ember of hobbies burning.

Post my Mumbai marathon in January with a PB of under 4 hours, after almost 2.5 years of relentless running, my knees started giving away. A reflection on that, which induced me to take a second look at my passion - Medium -Ok to fail .

After almost an average 2000 kms/ year run every year since 2020, as much as I was enjoying mentally it was taking a toll on my knees. I was forced to stop running completely to recuperate. I re-approached my runs, contemplated on the purpose, reduced my runs, started focusing on strength training, took assistance from experienced running coaches to reinvent my running with a different approach. Else, the writing was clear on the wall, I'd have to let go of this life hobby, I picked up in my 30s, was so passionate about since the last decade. Slowly but surely, built my knee strength, through strength & flexibility trainings, reduced the run frequency, and being mindful.

I felt something amiss in the last few months of 2023 since I restarted my running post injury. At times the weekend long runs beyond a 10k, felt like a chore, though satisfied post the runs, there wasn't any euphoria that I had always felt. What am I missing? Do I stop? How did I end up running so mechanically? How do I find the lost mojo in my runs?

All these questions were looming large, as I registered for our 2023 Namma Bengaluru full marathon. In the lead up to the Marathon, I hit a plateau and dawned on me, I'm losing interest in my runs.

Very circumspect about my Knee, the running form, lack of any intense prep, doubts were creeping up if i'd even be completing the run. On hindsight, not only did I complete the run almost effortlessly never out of breath in the entire 42 kms, that too at a pretty decent completion time. What I did in the process was, stopped worrying about the pace, dropped it by almost 40seconds, never pushed myself to a pace faster than 6 min/km, conscious of the scenery, chatting with runners, smiling. Sum it up, I soaked in the experience, dropped the baggage of any performance pressure or anxiety to better my running time in the same course last year. In this due course, rediscovered that, its the joy of running, which is my compelling reason.

A few pointers that I realized on this journey from burnout and injuries to finding exuberance in running again.

• What's my 'Why' - Running is my passion, something I deeply associate with and experience child-like glee in the process (Why do I run ? ). I'd rather continue running into my 50s or 60s, than better my pace for instant gratification.
• Set realistic goals: With age, unless we invent reversal of ageing I can't be putting my muscles under duress. I dropped the pace drastically and taught myself to start enjoying the runs, no matter the pace or the distance (easier said than done !).
• Mix it up: Stayed away from all the running events during this period, except may be a 10k here and there. Any distance beyond 10k, I was running at my pace, mostly through unexplored quaint village roads near my suburb. The days I wasn't running, I chose to focus on strength & flexibility training.
• Am I enjoying ? - I realized all through the last few years I was sort of chasing stats, even though of my own individual past performances. It did help push my boundaries and build the endurance and running stamina. For me, once I ran multiple full marathons, there wasn't much to look forward to. Chasing to better my own stats, be it the yearly mileage or pace wasn't sustainable. The rediscovering of the true reason behind my passion helped me re-ignite the fire.
• Listening to my body -It is essential to listen to your body and understand its needs. Instead of pushing myself too hard and risking further injury, I learned to respect my body's limitations. I started paying more attention to proper nutrition, hydration, and recovery, as well as incorporating rest days and cross-training into my routine. By prioritizing my overall health and well-being, I was able to create a sustainable running habit that felt good both physically and mentally.
• Finding New Challenges: As I no longer focused solely on improving my pace or distance, I still sought new challenges to keep my running exciting and engaging. I started exploring different runs, be it tempo, interval or sedate long runs, which tested my abilities in new ways. Also, I stopped setting any weekly running targets, without putting too much pressure on myself, except the weekend long runs.
• Mindfulness: Running is never been just a physical activity but also a mental and emotional journey. I started incorporating more mindful running, taking the time to appreciate the beauty of the running routes, enjoying the time with myself. This shift in mindset helped me find a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy in running.

In conclusion, this process of rediscovering my passion for running has been an enlightening and rewarding experience. By taking time to reflect on my 'why', setting realistic goals, embracing variety, and thoughtfully abstaining from getting bogged down by performance stats, I have a renewed sense of purpose and joy in my running journey. While everyone's path would be different, I hope sharing my experiences would help some of you to rekindle their love for their hobbies and embrace the it with open heart. The fire may have dimmed, but with conscious effort, active thought, and reinvention, we can keep the ember of our passions burning brightly.