Running Out of a Rut

Look Better Naked, Say it Rah-shay By Rachee Oct 22, 2020 No Comments

I have found myself in a running rut.

Actually…life and running rut.

In the last week, I only ran three time. Normally I am running four to five times a week but I have been allowing myself to snooze my alarm and lie in bed until I have to get up for work. I was leaning into that snooze; it felt good to sleep a few extra minutes and those rest days did a body good. However, I know me. A few days of this behavior can turn into a week of this behavior, which can quickly become a month of skips, then the month becomes months and the next thing I know I won’t be able to complete a 5K in under 45 minutes and, literally, ain’t nobody got time for that.

Motivation is definitely going to have to come from within. With Covid, all in person races have been cancelled so this idea has to be revamped. While virtual races are cool, there is nothing like the whole spectacle of a race….the crowd, the expo hall, the after race bananas (those after race bananas slap!). Logging my miles on line and getting my swag in the mail makes for a fun squishy mail surprise but the real fun is running with a group of people who act a whole fool with you pre-race, post race and during the race.

My run group is (still) amazeballs. They don’t judge, they just allow me to jump in when I jump in and motivate me when we’re together. But these damp mornings and cozy blankets have me hitting snooze and, well, ya know. I do want to get back out there with them before it gets too cold and no one is able to run.

How do I get my mojo back?

The end of day four of the Create Before You Consume Challenge finds me looking for ways to get excited about my run and, well, my life. Running is such a huge part of my life and I have allowed myself to push away that happiness.

Health is a big motivator and should be the driving force but I am a real life false equivalency. My last appointment found me healthier, and I have not put on any extra weight, therefore a part of me believes that I can do what I want. Lack of mojo, and physical consequence, is a recurring theme within my life at this time so I did a search and found this article from Live Bold and Bloom that I am adapting to fit what I need to get my mojo back.

Address Stress
Between work, home and Covid restrictions, I’m a mess. I am not going play the blues game; my blues are mine and I am dealing with it. Physically, I am doing great. Mentally, I can use some work. Instead of thinking about all of the negatives that come with doing a thing, I am going to think of it as “I get to run.” or “Let’s see if I can beat my fastest 5k.” or “What good trouble can I get into today?”
Remember What Fun IS
I used to be the queen of cancelling plans. I would find too many reasons to say “No” and head home but now…I miss those invites. I also miss the possibilities of the invites. Covid has restricted so many impromptu actions that at times it feels like nothing is worth it. I’ve been reaching out to friends through text, trying to do more with The Bee and The Librarian and just saying “yes” a bit more.

A running friend mentioned she was also losing her mojo. I can call R and we can go for a slow run, or A and chat about books while we run, right?
Get Physical
There are three more opportunities for me to get out and run this week. I plan to take full advantage of these three runs, even if it means slowing it down to get them done.
Take An Electronic Sabbatical
I have stopped taking a device to bed with me at night but I have been staying up a little bit later to scroll one last time. Plus, the whole point of this challenge was to create before consuming. I use my phone as an alarm but I can always go old school and set up my alarm clock.

Also, taking a break from social media may be what I need. I don’t try to keep up with the Jones’ but there are times when my FOMO makes me feel like I need to be in all the things at all the time and, of course, nothing gets done. This is true with running. I see the posts and I’m all “I should have got up” but…reasons. Taking a break from screens will help lessen this feeling of shoulda, coulda, woulda.
Be Fabulous!
I almost let the stress of work not let me be great but after I sat myself down and gave myself a good talking to, I realized that people are gonna people and I could be with them and be miserable, or do Rachee and thrive.
I choose to thrive.
No more of letting little people in my head rent free, no more shrinking myself to fit in. Bunk that!
No more normalizing the too tired to function, I need to get strong to kick butt and take names.
Hang Out With the Best
I didn’t realize just how much I was isolating myself until a friend asked me where I’d been. Like, I am around but was so in my feelings about work and work and, well, work, that I wasn’t responding to friends virtual invites.

I am going to reach out to my co-workers and running partners and let the creative juices get flowing
Do Something Adventurous
To be continued….
Love Your Body
I am pleased with my progress but I have found myself wishing some part was better. My sister told me she enjoys dressing up for work and I realized that I can enjoy my workouts with fun outfits that suit me where I am and not worry about what I should be size or shape wise.
Train Your Brain
The negative Talk is SOOO easy to get caught up with. I’m quick to hear the negatives and never acknowledge the positives. So, I may not have run 100 miles this month but I did my fastest mile in a while (9:46 if you need to know). I can acknowledge the work I want to do while I celebrate the wins.
If Your Mojo Is Late, Don’t Wait
I did reach out to my health care team for advice. I may share more on this later but for now, I’m working on this one.