Give your running a fresh start by shedding physical and mental clutter
by Scott Douglas Published: Dec 12, 2006
Running, it's said, is the simplest sport-a decent pair of shoes, and you're good to go, anytime, anywhere. Well, a watch doesn't hurt. And it's nice to have technical running gear. While we're at it, why not throw in a specially formulated preworkout drink, a heart-rate monitor, a GPS system, a fuel belt, and an MP3 player with a playlist that's perfectly synchronized for the pace and distance of your run?
Although we runners claim to be minimalists, we're good at making running complicated. It has to be the right time of day, the temperature just so, shoes broken in but not broken down, iPod fully charged, not to mention the pressure of making a time goal. It's a wonder we ever get out the door.
It wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, most of us ran with pure intentions-no race to train for, no PR to beat-just the expectation of feeling better for having done it. "You see how simple things are here," says 2:09 marathoner Joseph Cheromei of his Kenyan training ground. "I have raced all over the world and have seen how far from the spirit of running people can get." Decluttering your running-stripping it of physical and mental accretions and streamlining your routine-will help you rediscover that "spirit of running." As a result, you'll enjoy running more, and you'll probably do it more often.
Conditional Love
If you find yourself saying, "I can't run unless..." or "I can't run without..." your running is being dominated by ritual clutter, says Julie Morgenstern, author of Organizing From the Inside Out. "Ritual clutter comes from making something into such a production that the activities and thoughts associated with that thing become almost paralyzing," Morgenstern says. "You've externalized your power to run with all these conditions. You need to disengage your running from all those thoughts and say, 'I can run. Period.'"
Morgenstern recommends simplifying your running one step at a time. Let's say you have four things that "have" to happen for you to run. Start by eliminating one-maybe it's not being able to run without your heart-rate monitor or being able to run only when weather conditions are perfect. "Get rid of that one crutch, and watch yourself still be able to run," she says. "After a month, remove another, and so on, until you've empowered yourself to be able to just run."
What you'll gain: When you're flexible about your running, you're more likely to do it. "I go when I can, where I can," says marathon legend Bill Rodgers, who has done two-hour runs between flights on airport access roads. "You might not always be running in a great place at a great time, but at least you're running."
Ritual clutter can also form around how you think about running. Many of us fall into a trap of feeling that a run doesn't count unless it's under X pace for Y miles. These are the mental counterparts of not running unless physical conditions have been met. And they have the same effect-they detract from your enjoyment of running. Let go of those restrictions by periodically running for the sake of running with no particular time or distance goal in mind.
Some runners have the opposite problem-their running is an unpredictable phenomenon that could benefit from the structure that burdens others. If you're running out of time more often than you're actually running, the sport has become just one more part of your overly hectic life.
Regain control by making running a priority, says Bernard Marton, a Cistercian monk from Irving, Texas, and veteran of 13 marathons. Marton and the other members of his order follow a strict routine, including prayer seven times a day, beginning at 3:30 a.m. "Eventually, following the rule becomes routine," says Marton, who schedules his daily run in the morning. "If you want to progress as a runner, there are also rules, the main one being to do it regularly."
Some runners warm up with procrastination. Hit the snooze button, take another 10 minutes to decompress after work-only then will they be in the right frame of mind and strength of limb for a workout. Problem is, pretty soon there's only half as much time to run.
To defeat this tendency, David Allen, author of Getting
Things Done, says, "Trick yourself into the physical engagement before your mind tricks you out of it. Put on your running clothes. Your mind will recognize which of your 'uniforms' you're wearing and will switch to that task." If you run in the morning, put your gear in the bathroom the night before-or even sleep in it. If you run after work, change into your tights before you leave the office.
If you're a model of efficiency and you're still struggling to run, assess if you're stretched too thin. "Tell yourself, 'I need to run X times per week,' and then structure your life so it happens," Allen says. This advice is especially useful when your schedule is temporarily out of order-you're finishing a huge project at work, you're a new parent. Accept that you're not going to be able to do your normal training. Take a realistic look at the current situation to see where you'll be able to get in some sanity- and fitness-preserving runs.
"One of the most common reasons for not having the time to do the things you want is because of designing your life in terms of, 'First, I'll do what I have to, then I'll do what I want to,'" says Morgenstern. "And then guess what? By the time you've done your have-tos, there's no time for the want-tos."
Instead, start your days with the things that are important to you. "Filling your time first with your passions has a magical effect of stretching time," she says. "You suddenly have the energy, motivation, and perspective to tackle your to-do list." When you're feeling short on time, go for a run and recharge your battery. Chances are it'll help the rest of your life settle into place.
Scott Douglas
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner's World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he's as much in love as ever.
5 Reasons That Running Can Make You Puke
Why New Year's Goals Rarely Stick
4 Speed Workouts That'll Boost Your Speed
Paige Stoner Coached Herself to a Championship
Should You Run Back-to-Back Marathons?
5 Tips for Running in the Rain
3 Hard Workouts to Build Endurance
Should We Really Care About Cadence?
Learn to Run With This Easy Plan
How to Maintain Your Fitness After a Big Race
Running on the Treadmill vs. Running Outside
Try This Calories-Burned Running Calculator