9 Ways Real Runners Have Pushed Through Their Slumps to Love Their Workouts Again

“Hit the trails. Trail running is the inspiration to remind me why I do it in the first place: to get an amazing chance to hang with cool people (trail runners are a different breed), see cool stuff, and challenge myself. There’s no time in trails because every track is different with alts, rocks/roots, and challenges.” —Nicholas Spurlock

“I say change the music on your playlist, try some new routes, join a group or find a new running buddy, set a new target, treat yourself to some new running gear... I try to follow all this advice, but it's still hard sometimes.” —Katherine Sheldon

“I change where I run. Add new songs to my playlist and realize that the slump shall pass. I also started reading on a Kindle while running, on a treadmill of course.” —Patti Morrissey Panizza

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“Sign up to a new challenge, for me usually a marathon or something similar in another country. (A holiday abroad is something to get excited for!) And find a training partner to keep you motivated. It is very hard as it's so depressing to have to climb back to your best. Getting momentum back is the key.” —Andrew James Croucher

“Depends why I’m in a slump. If I’m just bored with the routine, I’ll register for a fun race or a destination race and mix up training with new routes and new workouts. If I’m burnt out, there’s nothing wrong with taking some time off and focusing on lower impact exercise. Of course, retraining always makes me wish I never took time off, but staying in race shape year-round is pretty unrealistic for most of us, and that’s okay.” —Alyssa Tonking

[How Mental Fatigue Can Actually Sabotage Your Endurance]

“I go back to why I run in the first place. I try to remember to be thankful for the ability to run and not to take it for granted. I try to remember to be grateful for the ability to be outside, to see the many colors of nature, feel the wind, and yes, even feel the pain in my muscles. It is such a gift to be able to do all those things. When I focus on that, I feel more encouraged and don’t worry so much about my time, mileage, or how many times I have stopped. Slumps are hard! But choosing to focus on the good things helps a lot.” —Emma Welborn

“I am often told I must love running. That’s a loaded statement. Workouts...sprints, hill repeats, tempo runs...those are work. I don’t love every run. The moments during a long run, when I'm lost in thought, focusing on everything I can besides the pain in my legs, the cramp in my side, the beer at the end are my best runs. Everyone hits a wall, but the time we take reflecting on life as the miles breeze by are what makes it worthwhile.” —Jay Harper

“I tell myself to go slow for half a mile. If endorphins don’t kick in or I’m just not feeling it, then I walk home. But I’ve never had to do that yet. I usually get to half a mile, endorphins kick in, I get into my groove, breathing becomes a pattern, and I’m off and running. Signing myself up for a race helps kick me into gear too.” —Tracy Green Ocepek

“Find a way to give back to the sport—volunteer at a race or help some newbie runners reach a goal! Running slower than usual while you help them get in shape is a physical break for you and watching them do something really hard is inspiring when you return to training hard.” —Emily Alley

“Training for a marathon has been hard, I don't love long distances. This past week, a few friends and I had 14 on the calendar. So we did an 11-mile warmup and finished with a local 5K. It was great change of pace and for a good cause. The 5K had so much energy vs all of those solo miles—running felt fun again!” —Kelly JoJo

“Sign up for a race—and have a friend join you! Working together with someone else toward a goal always makes me more excited and motivated! When it’s really rough and I’m bored stuck treadmill running, I catch up on podcasts or new shows. Also I enlist my kids to create me new playlists... their choices mix it up and make it fun! I used to download audiobooks for my long runs too.” —Ariel LaRocque

“Get someone new into running and run with them. I just went through a really difficult slump. I talked one of my friends into running with me (he had never ran). And, I started over with him. His newfound love of running was infectious and I started to love it, again, too.,”—Justin Miller

“I started running with a friend to support her for her next marathon, and presto it's back! I slump after every marathon and have runner’s block, running with a mate works as you feel as if you can’t let them down,” —Justina Cammish

“Take my dog running. It changes it up and gives me another reason to be out there running. Have a German Shepherd who has a lot of energy.” —John Bedsworth

[How to Find the Ideal Running Partner]

“Runners are tough on themselves. We think if we take a break, we are suddenly not runners anymore. But taking breaks is awesome! When I feel that I’m getting burned out, I walk with friends or hike or bike instead. Then I sign up for a big race and start training from the bottom up again.” —Jill Weyer Ross

“Take a break from running. It’s easy to forget the things you love about it when it’s become a chore. Do some weight training, cycling, swimming... something fresh that will benefit the running once you want to return.” —Leigh Walford

“Stop pushing yourself and slow down. Find others who are running for fun and don’t care about pace and run with them. I also started doing shorter races. Also don’t get on social media and read all the other runner posts.” —Lorianne Sobczak Dunford

“I get totally burned out during race training! I gripe a lot, and miss the variety of cross-training. After the race, I take a month or two break and I do other things during that time. Gym classes, HIIT, yoga. I do what I want. I always come back to running regularly because, let’s face it—we’re all addicted!” —Allison Crandall

“I started working with a CrossFit coach twice a week to improve my overall strength and fitness. He tailored our sessions to apply the best principles of CrossFit for running and focused on areas where runners are notoriously weak (e.g., upper body, hamstrings, glutes). The training has helped me overcome a few nagging and recurring injuries I was experiencing, and, most important of all, it reenergized my running and opened up a whole new realm of potential for me. In a month I'll be returning to the marathon after a four-year hiatus, and it's been such a joy to rediscover my passion for the sport.” —Jodi Lewchuk

“Struggling right now with this, and I have my two longest/most challenging races to date coming up in the next eight weeks. I’m trying to increase cross-training and get back to basics with nutrition, so I’m in top shape and it’s not as hard, as well as buy myself a bit of new gear (shoes, headbands, hydration gear) to make it feel fun again and remember why I got into this. Hoping it works.”— Emily Wemple Owens

“Buy new running shoes!! It’s mental you feel like they’ll make you go faster and legs won’t hurt SO much. Then just get out there!!! Right /left, right/left.” —Adrianne Aguilar

“I walk. I take the chance to just enjoy being outside and taking in my surroundings. When I love my environment again, I tend to love to run again.” —Anna Elizabeth

“I take my watch off and go on a Fun Run—no tracking my pace, heart rate, or distance. It helps me to remember why I love running!” —Sam Whitmore

“Easy, stop ‘training.’ Stop looking at your watch. Get outside and run for the sheer enjoyment of running; not set intervals or speedwork, and not because you ‘have to.’ Run based on feel and remember how blessed you are rather than being hard on yourself. If it’s an option, run with friends at a pace that is conversational for both of you.” —Eric Bobick

“Forget times, watches, goals, and just run. reconnect with pavement and gravel, trails and those wild impartial skies. reconnect with the joy of it.” —Christopher M. Carruth