My usual running slump every year is during the summer after all my spring races are over. It’s hot, it’s humid, and I just don’t feel like being under the scorching sun 😂
I've just gone through a massive autistic meltdown the effects of which have lastest the best part of a month ,I had a raised heart rate and was exhausted despite sleeping for ten hours + each night ( I was waking up with low body battery on my Garmin) I went out for a gentle run 1min walk 3 min today,I'm hoping after weeks off I can get going again,I did go out in new kit as well 😂 I'm sure it motivated me to get out the door . Hope anyone who has clicked on this video can get back to their happy place again,love and wishes to you all x
Hope you're doing ok. I can empathise with the autistic thing somewhat emotionally. I'm also in a slump fitness wise after not running for 35 years. Done other stuff but not much cardio. It's daunting and depressing when I remember my younger years and how fit I was.
Thanks Ben, really uplifting video so many ideas! I've been injured since running the London Marathon, finding it really hard motivate myself knowing i'll have lost such a lot of my fitness. Definitely going to look into my local park run and running clubs, I reckon the set meet up times and people might do the job to motivate me. 🤞
Hey Ben, would love to see a video on balancing training with job, life etc. I sometimes find it really hard to find the time or motivate myself late at night or early in the morning. Good video 👍
Damn what crazy timing for me this video. I’ve been slow to get back to running the last three weeks after not running the time I aimed for in my second marathon in October. Been slowly but begrudgingly getting back into it. So thanks for the great tips.
Thanks Ben, having been through my own slump recently and found my way back to some balance and positivity this was a helpful reflection on what tools i used. I believe the two biggest things for me were proper rest, zero running, taking some time to physically and mentally recover and friends, in particular running friends with a strong sense of emotional intelligence. I count myself lucky to have them in my world.
I’ve been aiming for 1000 miles since the start of the year and was about 110 miles ahead of where I needed to be at one point but I’m down to 38 miles ahead now. Only 127 to go, but struggling to get out there and get it done. Good timing for me.
The less you focus purely on miles the more fun it becomes. Find new routes and find trails where you aren't just hitting the pavement or track over and over.
This arrived at the perfect time - total slump and these were some good ideas. Love the hills idea and also the running back home faster with an easy out and fast back. Thank you!
Thanks for this Ben. Mental health is so important and it’s so refreshing to find terrific advice from yourself. I’m sure it’ll prove invaluable to a lot of people.
good call with the running "Tech free" I need to do that more often, right now the thought of not logging a run on strava is giving me anxiety which means I need to address it. Good luck in NYC! I'll be running the marathon too.
Great advice. Watching this has reminded me to keep varying things around...so easy to take the usual route & get into a rut.....Ben makes it easy to get out of a dull routine too....👍👍👍
I don’t run to prep for races, I run primarily for exercise to stay healthy and in shape. Keeping that in mind it’s easy for me to s see stay motivated.
Ive found having a post race recovery training plan (Runna) helpful, Im still following a plan & it is a goal in it's own right (but it just happens to have not much running in it!) Im definitely going to do more strength work in this downtime till its time to train for the next race
New Ben Parkes running cap.. tick, Ben Parkes 5k training plan.. tick, new shoes in the sales.. tick.. horrible weather.. tick.... no problem it's strength day!
Love this video, great tips! I’ve heard you can run without a watch but that blows my mind and not managed to achieve that yet 😁. I’ve really got to implement a few of these 👍
I need this 😂 but I’m stuck in a rut where I ran everyday for 11 months and all of a sudden I start a new job where I’m working 12 hour shifts and now I can’t get back in to it at all
Post first marathon Oct 1, got a new Garmin which made it fun for a while but I’ve ended up overtraining a bit, and now the winter weather is here 🇨🇦 so I’m feeling a bit sluggish. My next event is a 1/2 marathon in early March, so I may check out your in between plans to see if that helps. Thank you.
Hey Ben, I have just recovered from a long sickness and found out after months of not doing workout and running, all my fitness level I’ve built for a long time just plummeted. I even have to combine run-walk. It’s frustrating. Do you have any video about this topic, to recover back to my old fitness level? If you don’t, please make one about it. Thank you. 🙏🏼
I love my Kinvara 13 and this looks more of the same. Super light, great shoe especially for the price (often in mega discounts too). Will pick this up at sometime (when the price is right!). Seems like possibly an odd question but how do you find it compared to the Takumi Sen?
Main reason for my running slumps are often lack of intensity control. My answer is always to start doing more zone 2 runs, which even means walking some hills. Go slow, low heartrate and enjoy the scenery.
I believe hills are important. I used to run hills twice weekly in my younger days. There are no hills anywhere near me now. Hills are 40km from my house. It's almost dead flat everywhere. That said, I doubt I could run up a hill now lol
Just get out... it's usually the biggest challenge, then what comes afterwards is always somewhat good and I feel happy that I did it... whereas if I didn't, I would feel a bit guilty
Ben I can't believe how fast you are for someone who hasn't got an anorexic build! I reckon if you were skin and bones you'd be sub 15min 5k, you're an amazing runner to be fair!
