Dear fellow runners,

Have you ever felt like your body and mind are sending you urgent signals, telling you with increasing intensity that you need a break from running?

If you have, you might be experiencing what is commonly referred to as ‘running burnout‘ – which is very similar to overtraining, but also strongly involves the mental part of it.

As many of you know, I have been grappling with this situation a couple years ago after a too intense coaching program that wasn’t 100% for me. That’s why I promised to share some genuine, heartfelt insights on it.

Running burnout is often misunderstood.

It’s not about losing interest in running or a sign of weakness or lack of determination. Far from it! There is nothing more mistaken than this perception, my fellow runners.

Taking a break is a valuable transition point to regenerate ourselves and return to running even more motivated and lighter.

It’s not something to be hidden or disdained. Exactly as in nature, running also has its seasons and it can’t be always a ‘summer of running’: sometimes we need to go through our ‘winter of running’ to recover and restart a new training cycle.

That’s why we should start normalizing this aspect of every running journey where:

✅ LISTENING TO OUR BODY AND MIND’S SIGNALS = STRENGTH (and not a weakness).

Acknowledging the need for a break is an essential part of our journey – otherwise there wouldn’t exist training cycles.

Even in an activity that brings us as much joy and well-being as running, it’s essential to recognize when we need to pause and recharge.

Here are some tips coming from my personal experience if you think you might be experiencing (or are close to) running burnout:

🧘‍♂️ PRIORITIZE REST AND RECOVERY: Allow your body and mind to fully rest. Sleep more, relax, and give yourself the time to recover.

🌿 FOCUS ON OTHER ACTIVITIES: Engage in low-impact activities like yoga, swimming, or cycling to stay active, but a bit differently and with less training volume.

🧠 MENTAL RELAXATION: Practice mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing exercises to help reduce stress and regain mental clarity.

🤝 SEEK SUPPORT: Talk to fellow runners, friends, or a coach about what you’re experiencing. Sharing your feelings can be incredibly relieving.

📝 ASSESS & RE-ADJUST YOUR GOALS: Use this time to reflect on your running journey and reset your goals. Sometimes a change in perspective can reignite your passion.

🍎 NOURISH YOUR BODY: Pay attention to your nutrition, ensuring you’re eating well-balanced meals that support recovery and overall health.

🗓️ SET A COMEBACK PLAN: Gradually plan your return to running with realistic goals and a flexible schedule to avoid future burnout.

So here I am, unfiltered and unashamed, to remind you of this less “glorious” part of our running journey.

It’s okay to take a break.

It’s okay to step back and allow yourself the time to heal and regenerate.

Have you ever been in this situation? What do you think about it?

Let’s support each other through every step of our running journey, even the steps that involve resting and recovery.

(genuinely) Feel Your Run,

Ely 💚