Fear of “failure” on a run can kill your enthusiasm for getting out the door.
Picture this: you’ve got your shoes laced up and you’re about to head outside. These are some options for what you’re thinking. As you read them, think about how they make you feel.
- I’m going to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. I might run down to the brook and back, we’ll see how I’m feeling.
- I’ve got to do hills today, and I need to be hitting my tempo pace. I’ve only got four weeks left until race day, which means I’m going to have to start tapering soon. If I don’t hit target pace, it’s not looking good.
- I am going to run hard today. I’ve got 45 minutes, an awesome playlist, and I’m going to see how far I can get. It’s GO time.
Three very different feels, am I right? I’m not saying any of these mindsets is wrong. But the middle runner might have more trouble getting out the door than the other two. If you’re trying to control how fast and how far on a challenging terrain, there’s a real chance of failure.
On the other hand, runner three plans to work just as hard – but they’re excited about it. It’s a game to them. It’s fun. They’re going to see how far they can make it. They’re not afraid to fail, because how do you fail at running as far as you can in 45 minutes? You put forth the maximum effort you can and you see how far you get. There’s no failing. You could need to walk, or even stop, and it’d still be seeing how far you can get in 45 minutes.
There’s nothing wrong with goals, but focusing on the effort instead of the outcome can make running more enjoyable and free us from fear. Sometimes it makes us run harder, because we’re not afraid we might need to take a break.
When I let go of fear and expectations, I am free to run.