I made a running goal for myself this year. It started out as running non-stop for 2 minutes at a time. By the end of 2025, I increased my goal to 5 miles without stopping. No one is more surprised than I am. My mantra for the last 10 years has been: “I am only running if something is chasing me.”
Somewhere in 2025, I decided I wanted to pick up running again (after several failed attempts), and see what happened. So, what was different this time around?
Even with a background in fitness, I am not sure I can quite pinpoint it. I will not also claim that the list of things I did differently will be a tried-and-true list for all folks looking to get back into running. But maybe you are curious if any of these ideas will work for you, so give them a read.
I Acknowledged and Addressed My Barriers
This is true with any goal setting: when we set lofty goals without first addressing the barriers that will prevent us from actively working towards a goal, we are going to struggle with even attempting to achieve the end goal. A barrier is anything that will keep you from the act of working toward a goal, not simply failing at achievement. So, what stopped me from running?
The first – and most obvious – was knee pain. I am three knee surgeries deep with the knowledge that one day TriCare will be replacing one, if not both, of my knee joints. For a while, running was very painful and made physical activity for the rest of the week difficult. I enjoy weight lifting, and my knee pain made lower-body movements very difficult. Could I figure out a way to implement running in a way that would allow me to improve without sidelining myself for the rest of the week?
The second barrier I faced was some mental health struggles that made increasing my heart rate uncomfortable. I had some anxiety and past trauma triggers I needed to address. It’s an odd symptom to have, and there are many layers to what I think caused my mental health struggles. I have attended therapy weekly for three years with no intention of stopping, and finally, in year three, I was able to give running another shot. (If this sounds like you, too, I would highly encourage you to please speak with a trauma-informed, licensed therapist. Not a running coach or your wine club gals.)
My final barrier was one that many of us are familiar with: time. Like many of you, my day is scheduled by the hour from before the sun is up to well after it sets. I am a perpetually exhausted pigeon. How was I going to find time to work on my running as my runs got longer?
I Made Running a Low-Risk Activity
Here is a major mistake that many folks make when starting a new activity: they associate success with weight loss. The activity is only “worth it” if their body is smaller. Don’t hear what I didn’t say: I am not anti-weight loss. I do think that people, especially women, would find a lot more success in a physical activity routine if they didn’t tie their worth as a person to their body size, though.
When I began to implement my running, I made it a low risk for myself. I took as long as I needed to. I doubled my rest time. I made sure I ate enough, so I was not running on an empty tank. And I didn’t shame myself if I ran slower or less than the week prior. I have also not once attempted to take before/after pictures of myself since I started running again, because the reason I took up running was never about changing my body. Once I took away high-risk/high-reward behaviors when it came to implementing an activity I did not enjoy, I actually began to enjoy it.
Shame is a poor motivator when it comes to long-term adherence. So if you are someone who constantly struggles with staying with a fitness routine, I would suggest making a routine that is low risk before you decide you need to be in the gym 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, on 1220 daily calories.
The Goal is Enjoyment
In casual conversations, I have had a couple of friends ask if I planned to run a race to celebrate any kind of running milestone. My answer is always the same: I want to run as long as I am enjoying it. Will I ever train for some kind of race? I don’t know. Right now, it is something I do two to three times a week, where I can take the dog on a trail (because he also needs some exercise). Or I can listen to my audiobook and zone out on the treadmill after a day of teaching. It is something I am doing simply for enjoyment rather than competition because I do worry that once it becomes a competition, I will come to despise running again.
I spent a lot of time playing sports growing up, including collegiate volleyball. I have an athlete’s mindset, so competition is something I enjoy. I also know what it feels like when you take something you love, and it becomes a full-time job you no longer love. At this point in my life, I enjoy being active without feeling like everything I do needs to be a competition. I can be active because it brings me enjoyment and self-efficacy. I don’t need to run to prove I am still competitive or for likes on a post. I do it because running clears my mind, and I have seen an improvement in my personal fitness.
That is reason enough to do anything.
