There are shirts out there now that say, “Running Sucks.” And there are the 0.0 stickers for cars mocking the 26.2. Everyone has heard, “My sport is your sports punishment.”
Running is hard. And let’s face it, we runners, we like doing hard things. It’s just who we are, but we all reach those points during training or during a race, where we wonder what we are doing out there and why we put ourselves through it over and over.
The best way to deal with these types of setbacks or low points is to be prepared for them. Don’t fool yourself by thinking that you are going to love every second of running. You don’t love every second of anything in your life.
It’s okay to have days where you think running sucks. It’s okay to have a whole week where you think running sucks. In fact, you can do it for a whole month if you really want to hold onto it that long, although, I don’t recommend it.
The first thing you need to know about these times where running sucks, is they go away, but only if you keep running. When you are out there running on cloud nine, loving every breath and footstep, file those experiences away to pull them out when running sucks.
Knowing why you run is sometimes difficult to put into words, but having an idea or a million reasons why you run and reminding yourself of those reasons can get you moving again. Having goals that you are striving for can keep you moving when things are hard.
Look over your training, and make sure you have only been increasing your miles by ten percent and that you have been taking a rest week every fourth week by decreasing your miles by twenty to twenty-five percent for the week.
If you are one of those people who train seven days a week, try taking a day off a week for two or three weeks or a day off every other week. I know this is hard and I know the mental games that must be played to make this work, but it could be the fastest way to pull you out of a slump.
Review what is going on in your life. Are their extra stressors or just a constant high level of stress? Stress makes you tired and if it lasts for a while, you lose your motivation to do things you love to do even when they are the things relieving some of the stress.
No matter how much running may suck when you are out there, NOT running suck more.
ultrarunningmom 
Love it!! Runners can do hard sh*t. A lot of it is mental and this is great advice. Keep on keeping on fellow ultra crazy runner girl 😉
I find changing running routes really gets me out of my running sucks phases.
Absolutely, sometimes just running them in reverse can be enough.
You are right. For one of NYC’s local running organizations, the races always follow a clockwise route. However, one of the races follows a counter-clockwise route, and it feels like a brand new course.
I’m always amazed by it. I can run a trail one direction a million times and when I reverse it, it’s a different trail.
Good article. I love the entire process of running. From laying out my clothes and shoes the night before to that first post run bottle of water. So, when I am a bit sour on that particular days run I concentrate on getting thru each step. Just get up… okay…. just get your clothes and shoes on… okay… walk out door… okay. once I am on the trail warming up the sourness goes away.
I tell myself over and over, “You’ll be happy you went and feel horrible if you don’t, regardless of how you feel right now.”
I’ve had plantar fasciitis and haven’t run since February and I’m so sad/mad/grouchy about it and at this point I wonder if I’ll ever run again. Not running totally sucks.
I pulled a hamstring and had to take months off. When I finally got back out on the trail I rolled an ankle. When I recovered from that I rolled the other ankle. So frustrating! It’s been 10 months since I’ve had a consistent running schedule, but over the last two weeks I’ve been on the trail without pain. You’ll get there.