When the Fun Stops... Stop. Or Change.

Running means different things to different people. For some, it’s about chasing down that shiny new personal best. For others, it’s more about wellbeing, the headspace, the energy boost, or just the joy of being outdoors. Wherever you sit on that spectrum, there’s one truth that cuts across all of us: if running isn’t enjoyable at some level, then something’s not quite right.

Checking In With Yourself

It’s easy to judge training success by numbers: pace, mileage, heart rate, Strava kudos. But what about the other measures? How’s your energy? Your mood? Do you look forward to putting on your shoes, or does the thought make you groan? Checking in with how you feel before, during, and after a run is just as important as checking the stats.

Now, don’t get me wrong, running isn’t meant to feel amazing every single day. There will be tough sessions and heavy legs. But if the tough runs outweigh the good ones over a long stretch, it’s worth reflecting on why that might be.

This is exactly why the very first question I ask all my athletes on our monthly calls and regular check-ins is: Are you enjoying things? If the answer isn’t yes, then that’s the first thing we need to address before talking about mileage, sessions, paces, or races. Because if the enjoyment isn’t there, the progress won’t last.

The Patience Factor

Here’s where balance is key. Don’t panic if you’ve had a bad week, or even two. Training naturally comes in waves, and often breakthroughs arrive after a spell of doubt or frustration. Legendary coach Jack Daniels once said that “patience and consistency are the real secrets to improvement”, and he’s spot on. Sometimes the grind is part of the process.

But patience doesn’t mean ignoring the signs of long-term disengagement. The real art is knowing the difference between a rough patch and a training approach that just isn’t serving you anymore.

Training Plans vs Real Life

This is why rigid, one-size-fits-all training plans can sometimes cause more harm than good. Life doesn’t stick to a spreadsheet. Work deadlines, kids, social commitments, even just poor sleep, all these things can mess with your training rhythm. If your plan doesn’t adapt, it’s easy to feel like you’re “failing” when in reality, you’re just human.

That’s where a coach can make a huge difference. A coach brings flexibility, perspective, and balance. They can shift the work when you’re overloaded, challenge you when you’re coasting, and, crucially, remind you that it’s okay not to nail every single session. The goal is progress, not perfection.

Bringing the Fun Back

So, how do you actually make running fun again if you’ve lost that spark? A few ideas:

• Change the scenery: Try new routes, hit the trails, or even run without your watch for a while.

• Run with people: Join a club, find a training partner, or just run with a friend and chat instead of chasing splits.

• Mix it up: Swap a session for cross-training, strength work, or something playful like fartlek running with no set structure.

• Set different goals: Instead of obsessing over times, focus on consistency, exploring new places, or simply finishing a distance with a smile.

Philly Bowden, and excellent elite level athlete and great YouTuber too, recently shared in her recent vlog that she’s aiming to average a “B+” for her Chicago Marathon training. That means some runs will feel like a “C” or even a “D”, but that’s fine, because there will also be “A” sessions in the mix. The point is not every run has to be perfect. That mindset takes the pressure off and makes space for joy.

A Personal Example

After the London Marathon in 2021, I really struggled with this myself. Coming off the back of Covid, I felt a huge comedown and my motivation to keep pushing on was nowhere near what it had been. Mentally, things had shifted for me too. I still ran, but for almost two years my motivation and enjoyment were low, and my race times reflected that. It wasn’t until some personal and job changes in 2023 that I was able to reframe my mindset and start enjoying training, races and goals again.

That shift allowed me to kick on in 2024, and now into 2025, with a much stronger sense of purpose and enjoyment. I remembered my "Why" (see my article on this from Nov 2024) It took time, and it wasn’t easy, but it taught me that sometimes you need to step back, take pressure off yourself, and then gradually build back when you’re ready.

remember... we're not elites

Let’s not forget, most of us aren’t pros. We’ve got jobs, families, and plenty of other demands on our time. Running should be something we want to do, not something we dread. Hard sessions will always have their place, but even the tough ones should feel rewarding in the bigger picture.

Deena Kastor, for example, talks in her book Let Your Mind Run about shifting from perfectionism to gratitude, and how that mental shift not only reignited her love for running but also led to her best performances. That’s proof that joy and progress aren’t opposites, they actually go hand in hand.

The Takeaway

At the end of the day, running should add to your life. It won’t always be easy, and it won’t always be fun in the moment, but if you can find joy, motivation, or reward in the process, you’re on the right track. If the fun stops, maybe it’s time to pause, reflect, and make some changes. With patience, flexibility, and the right support, you can keep running as the fulfilling, motivating, and life-enhancing pursuit it’s meant to be. And remember, for most of us this is a hobby. Be kind to yourself, enjoy the journey, and let running enhance your life rather than control it.

If any of this resonates and you’d like support in finding more joy and balance in your own training, feel free to get in touch. My coaching is highly personalised, built around your life, and always starts with that first question: are you enjoying things? Because fun comes first, and everything else builds from there.