For many of us, running consumes our lives. And there’s nothing wrong with focusing on a healthy habit!
Type-A runners everywhere know the feeling: every decision is evaluated through running-tinted glasses:
- “There’s no carbs at this lunch?! How am I going to finish my tempo run later???”
- “If I go out to happy hour, I might be too tired for my workout tomorrow”
- “This conference goes all day… where do I fit in my run?”
As a coach, I even turn playing with my kids into a lesson on running drills (my oldest really needs to work on her butt-kicks…).
A majority of my life has been dominated by running. Every decision, vacation, summer job, and even whether or not I studied abroad during college was impacted by my running.
For any runner who’s truly curious about their potential, this is necessary. You need a certain healthy lifestyle to promote fast running.
But what happens when you’re not so in love with running anymore?
How do you manage your passion for running when new and equal passions emerge in your life?
Should running always be your most important priority (or even in the top 3)?
These are admittedly very difficult questions.
And I don’t think there are any correct answers. There are only the best answers for you.
Tina Muir: Why I Quit Running
Tina is a professional distance runner, Great Britain Olympic hopeful, and 11-time All-America Track and Field/Cross Country athlete for Ferris State University.
She’s run in two British Olympic Trials, finishing 3rd in the 10k in 2012 and 5th in the Marathon in 2016.
Her personal bests, as you can imagine, are out of this world:
- 5k – 16:08
- 10k – 33:24
- Half Marathon – 1:13
- Marathon – 2:36
Earlier this year, Tina made a stunning announcement that she was taking a hiatus as a pro runner. She’s recovering from amenorrhea (she didn’t have a period for 9 years) and is hoping to start a family soon.
But she realized that she just didn’t enjoy her running anymore.
Every run was a struggle. She dreaded upcoming workouts and just wasn’t excited about training anymore.
I consider this to be an unspoken problem in the running community. Amid calls for consistency, putting in the work, and training “no matter what” there lies a deeper issue: once you’ve done that, when is it ok to stop?
Tina is on the SR Podcast today to talk about her journey and give hope to runners everywhere whose hearts just aren’t set on hard training anymore.
Subscribe now on iTunes or on Stitcher.
This is an honest, real, and personal conversation that I hope you enjoy.
Resources & Links from the show:
If you think this podcast conversation is important, please share it.
Thanks Health IQ!
This episode is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people get special life insurance rates. Head on over to healthiq.com/strengthrunning to see how your running can help you save on insurance.
They’ve pulled the latest data on runners’ health risks to convince insurance companies to offer cheaper rates. Just consider:
- Runners have a 41% lower risk of heart disease
- Runners also have up to a 35% lower risk of premature death
And they’ve been successful: over the last three years, they’ve helped health-conscious athletes secure billions of dollars in coverage.
Want to see if you qualify for cheaper life insurance? Check out this tool to get your free quote.
The Power of the Running Community
A big thank you to Tina for opening up about her journey, struggles, and life. We need more transparency in running – and to recognize that all of us are fighting something.
Runners are stronger when we’re together, standing strong, and supporting each other.
And the beautiful aspect of running that makes me fall in love with the sport over and over is that we are all far more similar than we are different.
What you might be going through right now is probably shared by thousands of other runners.
I’ve always used Strength Running to bring runners together. To celebrate our collective achievements (and failures!).
And most importantly, to use running to improve our lives.
If you’re new here and would like to join us, sign up here. I want to send you our best coaching material.
Thanks for being here 🙂
