Why I don't run anymore. 

“Movement should be joyful”. So very true. I used to run but years of both injuries and desk work put an end to that. Now I do a variety of activities, but I live to walk and get movement in every day. Great video!

I really love running, but my obsession took me from a casual runner to running (not joking) at least 20 miles per day. I got injured and was under eating and then was terrified of running for fear of that crippling pain for years. I know this video is old and is talking about not running, but the way you’re talking about it actually makes me want to get back into it again because I feel like it’s for the right reasons now. Thanks for all you do ❤

Oh my goodness, this video was such a breath of fresh air. Thank you!! Like, every fitness channel I follow extols the virtues of running on the weekly, and I'm like, "nah I'm good, I prefer walking/biking/BodyCombat". This video is very much appreciated.

I am 46. I have spent my whole life... WHOLE LIFE... talking about how I hate running. Guess what I just started last month and am really enjoying? Honestly. I have no clue what happened. It's like someone flipped a switch and now I'm dying to go out on a run, even in this absolutely miserable Virginia summer.

I do love running, after many years of not really getting it. But during COVID I somehow managed to stick with it, and made it past the point of feeling it’s too much hardship - and reached 10K for the first time in my life! Running makes me feel strong and happy - even when it’s hard. AND what I also love is that you are honest about what you love. Just as with everything else in life, every type of exercise is not for everyone. People love different books, movies, fashion, friendships, vacations, jobs, and I could go on. So how weird would it actually be if one type of exercise was the perfect match for everyone. Find what works for you, what makes you happy, what gives you the results (whether strength, health, wellbeing or what your goals may be), and do that. Thank you for being a role model for that, Justina - finding the way that fits each of us. There’s something for everyone. And if at some point, I’d find myself not loving running anymore, I’ll definitely do like you - and just do something else instead

Im SO HAPPY that you're talking about the time commitment part. I stopped going to the gym and started working out at home because it would be too much worrying about things like: should i pack extra food for work so that i dont go fatigued to the gym? and then thats a whole thing having to meal prep that, and then the time it would take to go, and then 'oh but i need to do a quick session at the gym because i need to get home fast to start dinner', where as now i can just start cooking the rice and then go do a quick dancing video on youtube, and also having to carry my gym bag to school and sometimes forgetting clothing items or a waterbottle or something. In the end i just decided to do it at home, and i stick to it much more. I do miss certain machines that were easy to use, at home you have to be more creative, but the amount of time and brain power i freed up is amazing. I always felt lazy when i talked about these aspects to people but i feel so validated :)

I used to run almost 6miles a day and got to an impressive 7 mins/ mile. But, I've always hated long distance running. I'm a sprinter. I woukd run to the gym, workout and run back. I used to spend hours on google maps mapping out my trails to see how long it was before tracking the runs and calories on a watch.I ran to burn off calories and it pushed myself by reminding myself of all the food I had eaten that day (only about sometimes 200 calories worth) I'm fully recovered from my disordered eating and exercise addiction and I have not.run.since! I've always hated long distance running, always will and I'm happy with the fact that I can't do 1 mile without feeling like I'm D Y I N G anymore 😂 I'm not against cardio, I cycle to volleyball twice a week but I believe in finding cardio you enjoy! I'm very much in favour of the studies coming out about knee injuries from running on pavements 🤭

I'm doing my first triathlon tomorrow & do not enjoy running as an activity, but having other sports to divvy up my time has been SO revitalizing. Plus, I can listen to podcasts etc- can't do that while swimming! They've all got pros and cons ❤

I loved running. I looked forward to that feeling I got after a run, I relied on running to help me manage my ADHD, anxiety, and depression, I ran religiously 4 to 5 times a week (with the exception of some time during my pregnancies, where I found lower impact exercise more comfortable and then switched back to running shortly postpartum), for over a decade. I was lost when a hamstring injury made it so I couldn't run without hurting myself. I am just now, about 2 years later, getting back into it, and I am finally getting to a point where I can rejoice about how it makes me feel instead of mourning how much slower I am. All that being said, it is really hard getting to a point where the runner's high makes it feel worthwhile, and I know not everyone experiences that, or even wants to. If other things make you feel the way running makes me feel, go for those instead. For me, I will fight through until I can once again experience the joy of feeling like I am flying again regularly.

So this sounds pretty crazy but originally my big motivator for running was the book World War Z. After reading it I thought to myself, "It would be a good idea to be able to run a few miles in case a zombie apocalypse happens." As I've gotten older I've come to realize that exact scenario is unlikely but that still being able to run (if necessary) is beneficial. All that being said I totally understand and can relate to your reasons for opting not to run.

I can completely relate to your break up with running - “honestly, it’s not YOU, it’s ME”😂. I run for 20 mins and I’m bored stupid but play tennis for 2 hours? No problem. Life’s too short to do stuff you don’t enjoy. Slick kettlebell technique by the way👏. I think I like the TGU as much as I dislike running!😀

I’m so glad you shared this, Justina. I NEVER knew and meanwhile I would always tell you about my chronic pain issues. You were always so kind and understanding. I’m so sorry for all you’ve been thru. You’re a champ girl, you never said a word about your pain once. I really hope that you continue to have mild to no pain going forward. Pain is the absolute worst and I’ve had some super dark moments. It continues to be a daily struggle to be honest. Sending you the best always ❤️

I really appreciate seeing you put to practice what you talk about. You’ve said in previous videos that of you don’t enjoy a kind of exercise then don’t do. And that’s exactly what you did. Thanks for sharing!

My dad ran marathons and 10k races. Mom occasionally walked around the block. I picked up running at age 27. I did it for 2 years. Dad even did a 2 mile race with me. I eventually realized I didn't enjoy it until I got the runner's high at mile 3. Twenty years later, my cardio is Zumba, elliptical and biking only. I enjoy all of those. Of course I strength train and do yoga as well.

Aw well your running video motivated me recently to pick it back up as I actually learned to enjoy it and have since recovered from the injuries that held me back. So thanks for the motivation!

I enjoy running.. but i love when you said about being called a “runner” part! On social media the algorithm makes it seem that everyone is running and at first it was inspiring but overtime seeing more running contents made me feel annoyed. it was starting to make my love for running turn to hate, not because i don’t want to share running with others (nothing in the world belongs to anyone) but because running contents on social media makes running feel like not special anymore and just an image. While i do share snippets of my runs on social media i didn’t like how i felt whenit feels like it’s taking away the specialness of my experience with running itself when i see others’ running contents… it’s start to become how it looks and not how it feels. It’s like running is being stolen away from me even if i don’t own it. I think it’s because social media makes it seem everyone is running and makes it look material based and makes it look we’re doing the same thing or experience running the exact same way even though we’re not. It starting to make me focus on having the “runner personality” instead of me enjoying my runs. It became loud to me seeing social media running contents so i deactivated and reflected on why i do run, my relationship with running, and what it means to me. and one thing i love about that quiet months i made is that i realized that maybe on the surface we’re all similarly running… my relationship and experience with running is uniquely mine and that’s what makes it special. I grew up feeling threatened whenever i do something and a friend shares similar interests because usually they will be recognized for it and associated with it while i’m not… so that kind of makes my experience feel invalid and kind of learned to invalidate my own experiences as well because i thought “oh she’s already doing it so i can’t do it anymore because it’s already taken” or “if i try the similar activity i’m gonna be the one who will be seen as copy cat” (even if sometimes i discovered that activity first in our circle). I think that was long but i just wanted to share because i like how you opened up about your experience in this video… and particularly the last part caught my attention and i respect you for sharing that side of why we might do activities such as running. sometimes i judge or feel that towards others but i also recognize that tendency to do things to be perceived or be known as “runner” or “writer” in myselff. i think it’s important to see and acknowledge that tendency in us. although that happens, i believe that awareness leads us more to aligned choices for ourselves.

YES movement should be joyful!!!! I appreciate your content so much - keep speaking the truth

I really enjoy running, especially long runs (half marathons etc). Of course I have difficult moments, hard workouts... but there are always moments when I feel really good, like I could keep running forever... it's hard to describe, but I guess everyone who loves running knows what I'm talking about. Not all of my runs are enjoyable, it depends on the pace, the distance, if I'm tired or not... but when you have a good run, you know it's all worthy...

Reason #3 👏🏻👏🏻 thank you for sharing this video in general

I really appreciate hearing about this. Was an overweight kid, and I have distinct memories of struggling during phys ed classes in middle school, huffing and puffing to run. Then in my later teens and early adulthood, I became an avid runner, but I didn’t start to see real changes in my fitness until I began strength training. Which, incidentally, improved my running. Anyway, I’ve also been coping with some foot and ankle injuries, and I’m sitting here typing this in a big space boot, hoping to heal. But I don’t know if running is in the cards for me. I think since middle school, it’s felt like the proper measure of fitness (even though I know it’s not), but for a lot of reasons, it’s probably time to let that go.

I got into running because I also wanted to say “I’m a runner”. But I did really enjoy it. I could just let go of everything while I ran. Sometimes I’d listen to music, sometimes I’d listen to podcasts or audio books. I ran a full marathon and a few halfs because I loved the challenges (and saying that I completed an official marathon was pretty cool). But after about six years, I didn’t want to run anymore. It got to the point that it became a chore and no longer fun. My left knee would get very stiff, to the point where I was worried that if I took one wrong step, I’d severely injure it. I finally realized that exercise shouldn’t pose a risk to your body. Now I just do walking videos and I feel like those are enough.

I'm starting running but I use intervals for training it up. That way I get a sense of time passing, know my limits, and the long beep at the end means I'm finished. I use a grass track and minimalist shoes so that I can use my whole foot and not smash my heel against the pavement, which always caused so much leg and foot pain in the past and doesn't seem to be good for the hips or lower back or shins. I don't use music because I can just focus on nature, the wind, how I feel, and waiting for the next beep. I hated running before I made these changes, it's still not my favourite but it's the only intense exercise I can still do so I'm grateful for that, and the changes I've made mean I don't get the strains and pains I used to from running.

Haha i understand you so well! I love runnning but i never get into a flow ? Where i am just purely running without thinking about it where time seems to fly by without my notice... i just cant get my brain to shut up so i started listening to podcasts while running this way my brain seems to be able to think and communicate? I am sorry i cant express it well but sometimes i catch myself commenting on the things being said during a Podcast and while my brain is occupied i can finally run in peace :)

Back when I had a trainer she put pressure on me to run even though I’m hypermobile. It only lasted a few weeks because joint problems kicked in even though I was only doing intervals! But I was running while at a meditation retreat and after a women there with a degenerative condition complimented me about how strong I was, of course I felt like an imposter for just doing intervals. She of course was very frail so I should have been more sensitive and accepted her kind words graciously... My favorite cardio in the gym was the Nordictrack incline trainer, which I’d only find in hotel gyms during an era of frequent work travel, and outdoors was cross country skiing and snowshoeing when I lived in upstate NY. Anything else that can get my heart rate up as well as those always feels like a chore.

I totally relate with this. I stopped running because i enjoy power walking so much more as i can enjoy the nature and not huffing and puffing

I totally feel you with 2 and 3! I can step out and go, too, but it's still lots of extra, and yeah, to improve you need to do more!! The only way I could fit it in (which I do sometimes consider) is setting a goal to get faster and faster in a set time of 20 minutes or something. Otherwise, it gets into #3: I don't like it that much. It was fun to train for a half marathon, but when there's "no point" (ok ok, there's a fitness point, blah blah)....running: I'm just not that into you! Thanks for sharing! :)

💯💯 to quote ann perkins, "jogging is the worst, chris! i mean, i know it keeps you healthy, but god, at what cost?"

I hate running and always will, tried to do it for getting healthy found that I much prefer getting on a stairmaster/going on walks

Great lesson to learn. Life is short.

I’ve never enjoyed running when I was younger. I also had less endurance than everyone else. But in my late 50’s, I could no longer do high impact. Now I like low impact fusion walks. Yum, fish tacos!

I absolutely destroyed my knee doing “Couch to 5k” and mile assessments when doing HIIT. The bonus was severely straining my Achilles! I never got it- but I tried 🤷🏻‍♀️

I love the message of this video :)

i used to love running and went 3 times a week i am lucky if i go once a week now just fell out of love with it like you say all the hassle of getting ready like the warm up etc cant be bothered

I saw the title and thought--it's either an injury or she doesn't enjoy it! Turns out it's both. Best wishes for the heel recovery. I'm one of those people who gets a strong runner's high so I get frustrated on my rest days. I also like that I can see so much more of my neighborhood and local parks than I can by walking. But if I didn't have those things? I'd never run again. It's not the easiest thing on your body and I swear keeping a middle-aged woman running is more expensive than repairing an old car. But we all have to do the movement that makes us happy.

Funny story, I started strength training in 2015 when I stopped taking taekwondo classes and discovered I HATE running and needed a way to workout because I love eating food and wanted to stay the same size. I fell in love with the barbell lifts and one day I will get someone to teach me how to do olympic lifts because they look fun. I've always begrudgingly did some cardio which were 10-15 minutes of misery on rhe treadmill or elliptical, and currently I walk with either my mother or grandfather in the mornings. It took me half a year, but your video on preparing a for a race got me to realize I need to get to a point where I no longer hate running. I can dislike running but I shouldn't hate it. This video makes me feel better about not knowing where to start with a new time commitment and not needing to love it.

I miss running I'd love it but at 50 my knees say no I swim & bike now & of course weights perhaps some day I'll get back into jogging

I have not a very good blood circulation, and running is the worst thing that one can do when in this situation. I tried to work throught it, but during and surely afterwards I felt how much i actually hurt my body, so i quit. It was many many years ago, best health decision I have ever made.

Same for me reason 2 and 3. I don't have the time to run more and I don't enjoy it really!! I run once a week for my cardio and once a year just do a half marathon at a terrible pace of 9min per kms

I fell off of a climbing wall at 12 and my right ankle never recovered. I tried running in 2021 and ended up hurting my hip. No running for me either!

I hate running. I prefer to get my cardio either by dance/zumba or indoor cycle. At this point in my life, I like low impact :)

Hi! I know this might be random but I would like to improve my push-ups and I was just wondering what you do to improve. I do follow a program where we train push muscles one day per week and sometimes hit it another day during full body. However, I just really want to focus on being able to do more pushups. Any tips? ☺️

I actually like running, and I grew up hating it, but I think the time commitment is underestimated, and people don't realize there is more to it than throwing on a pair of running shoes. I am fortunate, I can run during daylight in my neighborhood and in the one behind it, but only during daylight, and there is no shade and it is summer in the south, so I end up driving 30 minutes to run for 30 minutes, if there is no traffic.

The only thing all four of my docs agreed upon after I had a discectomy was running was a bad idea. I do actually miss it sometimes, but your point about really only liking being able to say "I'm a runner" really hit home, too. I'm curious what type of doc you went to who gave you the exercises. I did PT after surgery but definitely feel like I have posture or other issues that may have caused my back problems in the first place and continue to plague me with occasional hip and IT band issues. Was it a PT who helped you or a different type of professional?

I started running at the same time as you Justina last year and we were both using the Nike running app to train. I too ended up with an injury, but to my Achilles. Did good with my 5k but the first few runs afterwards became progressively more painful. Took a rest for 6 weeks and then trained shortly for the next 5k in January. Haven’t ran more than about 100 yards since then. Going to stick with walking lol. My poor feet and heels hurt every morning!

I feel the way you do about running, with all exercise. I hate working out, I don't feel good after any exercise or fitness, I don't enjoy anything about it or feel good in the moment.

I have never ever been able to run - even in high school when we were forced to I’d maybe make it 5 minutes before my side cramped so bad it was painful to run anymore. I always hear people say it’s the best workout but I wonder if some people physically cannot run. I am in decent shape and can walk for 10 miles easily so I don’t get it.

I am training for my first half marathon in November. It's a Run Disney event & I love Disney so it's like a bucket list thing for me. Do I think I would have signed up for a half marathon if it weren't in Disney? Probably not. I use Jeff Galloway's run/walk method and have been enjoying training so far. Although now that the temps have reached 90 I'm enjoying it a little less LOL.

"very very dramatic 5K" lol, i love it

I used to love running back in the days before Arthritis but now with flat feet and needing a cane outdoors running ain't happening. I don't like walking either.

I run 5k once a week listening to the Zombies! Run app. I’m not willing to put in more time.

I realized I loved Running but my body didn’t, eventually after a long history of crippling chronic pain, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and now I just Walk, Do Kyra Pro and MadFit videos and Cycle for Cardio and enjoy it just the same.

What about training for specific events, and HAVING to do workouts you don’t find joy in. For example, i Spartan race. I LOOOOVVVEEEE IT, truly absolutely love it. But there is running/ climbing/ upper body stuff/crawls/swims all the stuff. So I HAVE to run. I HAVE to do grip strength training, I have to do bodyweight training (push ups and pulls and triceps dips) in order for me to be successful at these races. And honestly, I don’t particularly find joy in that training. I don’t hate it, but I would prefer to strength train. I don’t like running, but I have to. I have to put the miles in. I have to do treadmill inclines. Or what about those who are doing bikini comps? I just wanted to throw this out there, sometimes it’s about the end game and not what’s happening during.

As a runner this vlog makes me sad. I think our parasocial relationship has taken a hit! But yeah... running can be extremely time consuming esp if you're marathon training so I get it. And if only one person in the relationship is a runner, it can also feel a bit selfish time-wise.

I used to run so I could be 90 pounds. Glad those days are over

That must have been so difficult in school to discover you had melanoma! ❤