Have you ever though, “I should be running, but I just don’t feel like it.” You are not alone. But rather than beat yourself up, consider why you run in the first place.

Finding your “Why”

Do you know why your run? Many people don’t. You might start with a “couch to 5K” and just keep going. Or maybe, you saw that friends were running, so you decided to do it too. But do you really know why you started? Do you have a reason to continue? If you don’t know, you might find your running practice is getting stagnant and boring.

There are many reasons to run, and very few of them are about running fast or qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Here are a few that might resonate with you:

• Perhaps you run to lose weight. Perhaps you run to stay healthy and live as long as possible.

• Perhaps you run to see what your body is capable of. Or to do something that most others have not.

• Perhaps you run to enjoy the adrenalin rush of endurance sports. Or the for masochistic love of the “pain cave”. Or for the introspective feeling of a flow state.

• Perhaps you run to help you think. To get new ideas. Or clarity of though. Or to clear thoughts from your head.

• Perhaps you run for emotional restoration.

• Perhaps you run to find time to listen to music or podcasts or audio books.

• Perhaps you run to spend time with friends. Or to have some time to yourself.

• Perhaps you run to spend time with your family. Or to get some time away from them.

• Perhaps you run to spend time in nature. Or to visit parts of your city you haven’t visited before.

• Perhaps you run to remember someone you have lost. Or to honor a loved one. Or to bring attention to a cause you care about.

• Perhaps you run to be a role model for your children.

• Or maybe you have a reason that is all your own.

Whatever your reason, make it yours. Don’t borrow a reason from anyone else.

This is your Why: the reason you run. All other decisions about running, and goal setting, and choosing a process, follow from your Why.

Aligning your goals to your “Why”

An activity without a goal is aimless. As with any activity, before you run, you may want to set a goal.

Ideally, you may want to have a long term goal: what you ultimately hope to achieve. But you could also have one or more short term goals: stepping stones toward your long term goal. You long term goal may seem lofty or even unobtainable, but it at least provides a direction. Your short term goals will be clearer and more attainable.

But what are your goals, and are they even your own? Often runners set goals based on what they think others are trying to do: to run a marathon or or to run a 7 minute mile or to qualify for Boston. But is that really your goal? If it’s not, that might be the reason you aren’t motivated to run.

In picking your goals, make sure they are aligned to your Why.

You can have a variety of types of goals. You can have result goals. These goals are about achieving a specific thing.

• I want to finish a 5k or a marathon
• I want to win a specific race
• I want to be able to still be running when I’m 80
• I want to run all of the Pacific Crest Trail
• I want to have fun while I’m running
• I want to meet people while I’m running

You can also have quantitative goals. These are usually quantitative and measurable.

• I want to run an 8 minute mile
• I want to finish a marathon in less than 4 hours
• I want to meet at least one person through running every month

Or you can have process goals. These goals are about how you go about your everyday running, rather than about the result.

• I want to run every day
• I want to finish every workout, even if I’m not hitting the targets
• I want to participate in at least one running club event per week
• I want to introduce myself to one new person on the start line of each running event

Try to pick goals that give you at least some control over the result. Winning a specific race, for example, is a tricky goal, because you don’t have control over the competitors or the conditions the day of the race. You might have somewhat more control over hitting a specific time in a race. But you can usually control whether you finish the race or take the time to enjoy the race. That’s not to say that one of these goals is better than another, but if all of your goals are outside of your control, you may not be happy with the result.

When you pick your goals, make sure they align to your why. For example, if your why is to be a lifelong runner, then your goals may have more to do with running regularly, enjoying the process, getting proper rest, and integrating strength and mobility training. If your why is to find out how much you can get out of your body, then your goals may be more oriented toward improving your endurance and pace.

In the end, your goals are going to drive your running process: the activities you do each day to get you to your goal. If your goal doesn’t align to your why, you probably aren’t going to enjoy the process. Make sure your goals are your own, just as your why is your own.

Setting your process

Each day is a new opportunity to move one step closer to reaching your goals. Your goals and your why should drive what you choose to do each day.

What you do each day could be to run short or long. To run near your home, or far away. To run your usual trail, or somewhere new. To run in the city, a rural road, or a forest. To run with others or alone. To run easy or to run a hard workout. Or perhaps not to run, but rather to rest, strength train, or cross train. The way you determine what to do, on your own or together with a coach, is to reflect on your goals.

Ultimately, running is a practice. It’s something you do on a regular basis to reach your goals. If you don’t know your goals, or you don’t know your why you probably won’t enjoy the process. And likely, you’ll stop.

Knowing your goals, and making them your own, is more important than ever reaching them.

As always: If you move with a purpose, you’re an athlete, and we’re here to help you reach your goals. If you need help, check out AllPaceAthletics.

Be well, and be safe.

Coach Mark
Owner and Coach
AllPace Athletics