The Worst Time to Run is Now



I feel like this time of year we are in that in between stage. It doesn't always feel like winter, but it's not quite Spring.  However, this is when the training for Spring races needs to happen.  A lot of us are just not motivated right now and running seems hard.

I am not lacking total motivation at this point but I do feel like running is harder for me this time of year and I'll tell you why.



I haven't done a whole lot of running during the winter months. It's not that I don't like running in the winter, but with the holidays and all I just feel like it's a good time to take a break.  Well, after taking a break and getting a little too comfortable being cozy at home, when I started easing back into running, it felt hard.

 Not only does it feel hard because I'm just getting back into a routine, the weather is very temperamental this time of year. One day it may be 60 degrees (or 70), another day it's very windy, one day it's raining, and one day it may snow. This makes it hard to want to get outside.  And although I don't mind the treadmill, I can't commit to longer runs on it.

Another reason I think running this time of year feels hard is because of the expectations we often bestow upon ourselves.  I usually have a Spring race planned and Spring races bring all sorts of expectations with them. For some of us it is the first race of the year and a chance to show how refreshed we are and that we are ready to run.  My first race of the year is coming up next month and at this point I certainly don't feel refreshed and I worry that even though it is only a 10K, the race will feel hard because I am expecting more of myself.

Even with the heat and humidity, summer running will always be my favorite, followed by fall running.  Eventually I'm sure I will enjoy spring running but the journey to get there (which is Now), is not my favorite!  -M

We will be linking up with the gals from TOTR.





21 comments:

  1. I agree this can be a tough time. I feel like I never know how to dress for a run because the weather is always changing! I think fall running is my favorite but I also like summer.

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  2. This is always a tough time to run. But I tell myself that my reward is coming with warmer days!

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    1. We had a few warm days here and you would think that would motivate me but it still felt tough!

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  3. I so agree!!! I'm ready for winter to be done with so we can enjoy some warmer and less icy runs!

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    1. Thankfully I have not had to deal with icy runs! But I am certainly looking forward to summer!

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  4. I think I'm in a different spot coming back from injury, I'm all fired up. But I'm also SOOOOOO over winter

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    1. Coming back after an injury always got me excited and motivated too! It felt like such a joy to run whatever the circumstances.

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  5. I can relate! My first race(s) of the season are this weekend (Gasparilla) and yet strength training has been my true focus. Go figure. I'm thankful I did not sign up for a spring marathon!

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  6. I'm actually excited to get out and run now, as our weather is usually cooler. Summer running is just brutal here, and it begins in May and goes through November, so...yeah. This is definitely not the worst time to run for me, LOL.

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  7. Usually I'm training for a Spring half marathon & the weather always was an issue. it's been strange this year sitting back & watching it from a non-runner perspective. It's such a roller coaster - it needs to just level out soon - I may jump back into running when it does.

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  8. Summer running is, IMHO, a necessary evil. And summer isn't even all that bad up here! Spring & Fall are always my favorite times of year to run -- unless, of course, we're having an unseasonably warm day. Which, of course, happens a lot.

    I find that I tend to do my best towards the end of the year; just the accumulation of training, I guess. Although that's not always the case, either.

    It keeps you on your toes, anyway!

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  9. I feel the same way. I felt so rusty when I started running again after the holidays, and now training starts this week. I don't feel ready, but it's here.

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  10. It is definitely a struggle for me to get out the door when it's cold. I would so much rather stay at home and be warm! haha That's the primary reason I don't do Spring marathons anymore. I do have a race coming up next month and, crazily enough, I've managed to do quite a few runs outside to get me ready for it. We'll see..... :)

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  11. yay...another summer runner!!!!! We gotta stick together ;-) This time of year is tough because the weather is so nutzo.

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  12. So I am just the opposite. This is my favorite time of the year for running. I do so much better in the cooler temps and dread the humidity of summer.

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  13. When I was running all the time, I'm pretty sure I ran a race in February (when it was usually pretty reliable it would be cold) and then not again until May because of the weather - in NH the change to spring always felt so damp and muggy but still cold. Nowadays, the weather does seem to be a lot more unpredictable. Our winter has been strange this year too.

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  14. I enjoy running in the fall. This winter has been tough because of the cold and snow we've had the past few months. It is finally warming up (40-50 degrees is warm during this time). Good luck in your upcoming race but most importantly HAVE FUN!!

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  15. I can so relate to this. I always this time of year tough. In fact I was just thinking that I wish I had held off signing up for any early spring races so I wouldn't feel the pressure to train. Oh well, hopefully the warmer temps will be here soon.

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  16. I am really enjoying running right now! But I do go through times where running seems like a chore. I believe I felt like that at the beginning of the school year. I was just going through the motions.

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  17. My biggest struggle is running when it's below 20!! I don't like being cold.

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Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.