It’s been over 4 months since I started Couch to 5k and I’ve just completed the final run of Week 4 for the 5th time.
Can you tell it hasn’t gone to plan?
It’s really not been the consistent, steady process I hoped for when running and I started dating again. There have been false starts, frustrating setbacks and ever decreasing motivation.
At the start of the year, I hit a low. What was the point? Was it even worth keeping going when it felt this hard?
Turns out, it was a really good question to ask, because it made me realise that it absolutely was.
I truly love the feeling running gives me - even when it’s a slow jog! Having that experience in my life is worth the effort. It turned it from a slog to a gift goal.
Once that clicked, I could take a good look at what would make it as easy as possible to keep going.
So, I’ve added some structure and support by:
Scheduling it - it now has a home on a Monday and Thursday, the perfect way to get fresh air in between coaching sessions.
Pacing myself - I do 2 runs a week instead of the recommended 3, and take it slowly and step by step - sometimes I actually count them!
Removing the barriers - I invested in new trainers (with thanks to About The Run), and a rain jacket. They have made life smoother and drier.
So, if you’re wondering if it’s worth keeping going with something in your life - a new habit, a new way of working, an idea - take heart.
There’s always a point to doing something you love, even if it doesn’t look how you thought it would yet.
Perhaps it’s time to find the gift in the goal?
Or to create the practical scaffolding to make it stick in your everyday life?
What helps you keep going when you’re ready to give up?
And how can you put that into practice and set yourself up for success?
Wishing you purposeful progress, not perfection,
