A Burnout Runner

Shuffling along at a pace I couldn’t have guessed if I tried, the wind whipped through my hair as I jammed to the sound of Bruno Mars. For this run, I only had one goal—to end it, being happy that I had gone in the first place.

There are plenty of motivational Pinterest quotes and Facebook posts that say things like:

“The only runs you regret are the ones you didn’t do.”

But that hadn’t been true for me for longer than I cared to admit. 

I regretted the runs I ran too fast and even more so the ones I ran too slow. 

I regretted the runs that felt too hot or cold, the runs when I felt tired and when I didn’t get to talk to my friends. I started to feel as if I regretted them all.

With my first marathon as a goal later this year, I pour myself into intense training. And it’s not just the training. Along with this are the scheduling, the dieting, the actual races and the sacrifices that we, our families and friends and sometimes, even our work, must make to stay in top racing form (or just be able to do the sport).

I experienced emotions that I never felt before: 

🔥lack of interest in the sport, the sport that I loved so much; 

🔥diminishing returns from training; 

🔥difficulty in training as hard as I did only a few weeks back; 

🔥irritability and a general feeling of guilt for not training at top level; 

🔥and sometimes, intermittent illness either manifests as a bum stomach, slight fever or mild headaches.

Struggling with burnout in the aftermath of my training for a marathon, I wondered whether I would ever want to run again. As someone who has spent five years letting running define my existence, I couldn’t believe how much bitterness I felt. Combine that with the guilt I carried for not being grateful that I could run after months of injury, knowing how many people would kill to be able to get back on the roads, and the results were ugly.

Regardless of how selfish I felt, I knew I had to find the fun in running again or leave the sport behind. Life is too short to run (or do anything else) if you hate it.

So, maybe I’ll let running go. I tried to remember all the things running has taught me and why I loved it so much in the first place. Perhaps most importantly, I asked myself: “If I knew I would never PR again or run a marathon, would I still run?”

It took me a while to answer that question, but eventually, I found myself looking forward to lacing up my shoes. I got the itch to sign up for a marathon and start training again, although this time with much less self-imposed pressure. Of course, I would still run.

Over the years, I have run for emotional salvation, to achieve personal bests, as an excuse to travel and make friends, and even as a justification for that extra glass of wine. But now? I’m just going to run for me and for fun. I realized it was misguided to think my relationship with the sport would stay the same even as the rest of my life shifted. Like the supportive family member it is, running welcomed me back with open arms.

The prodigal runner has returned!

How To Avoid The Dreaded Camel Toe

Whether we want to admit it or not, we’ve all had it. It sneaks up on us when we least expect it and lets everyone know it’s there. It’s almost like it’s waving, “HELLO!” and we’re the last ones to know. Until that race photo shows exactly what it’s been up to.

Yes, I am referring to our infamous camel toe. Thanks to race photos, we are lucky enough to catch sight of it in all its glory. I have, however, learned from experience how to avoid the dreaded camel toe.

With summer in full swing, it can be tricky to avoid the toe and still stay cool. I know sometimes it’s an unavoidable suction in our body that creates this silhouette. By using the following tips, you can avoid camel toe while running. You can let the rest of your body do all the talking.

1. Always try on running shorts before you buy them.

Not just shorts, but all lower body workout bottoms should be tried on before being purchased. Try walking out of the fitting room to see what they look like in different lighting. Also, move around in them while you try them on. Try squatting, jumping and running in place.

2. Make sure to purchase bottoms that aren’t high-waisted.

“High-waisted” and “workout gear” are two terms that should never be used in the same sentence. I find that workout bottoms that fit comfortably on your hips are the best option. High-waisted workout apparel tends to ride up and gather at the toe.

3. Don’t wear new bottoms on the day of a race.

Every runner knows to not try new foods, new shoes, or new GUs on race day, and your shorts or bottoms shouldn’t be an exception. Make sure to wear a pair you’ve worn before and are comfortable in.

4. Buy running bottoms with attached underwear.

I’m always much more comfortable wearing running bottoms with attached underwear. These bottoms were created to allow proper ventilation and avoid bunching at the toe. These types of shorts are sold in several different brands and materials.

5. Use chafing cream.

When there is friction, garments can get “sucked” into areas they don’t belong. Embrace chafing cream and lather up! Why go through the pain (physical and emotional) when you can address both issues with one simple-to-use product?

Life is tough!

Life is tough; that's a given.

When you stand up, you're gonna be shoved back down. When you're down, you're gonna be stepped on. My advice to you doesn't come with many bells and whistles.

It's no secret: You'll fall down, you'll stumble, you'll get pushed, you'll land square on your face. But, every time that happens, you get back on your feet. You get up as fast as you can, no matter how many times you need to do it.

Remember this -- Success has been and continues to be defined as getting up one more time than you've been knocked down.

If experience has taught me anything, it's that nothing is free and living ain't easy. Life is hard, real hard, incredibly hard. You fail more often than you win. Nobody's handing you anything. It's up to you to puff up your chest, stretch your neck, and overcome all the difficulties. The nasty. The mean. The unfair.

Do you want more than you have now? Prove it!

Do you want to be the very best there is? Get out there and earn it!

Once you decide that, you will know where you want to be, and you won't stop pushing forward until you get there!

That's how winners are made.

At the end of the day, success is what we all want. We all wanna win, and the race will be won. There is no question about that. So, come on. Get out on top! Run faster! Dream bigger! Live better than you have ever before.

This is in you! You can do it! Do it for yourself. Prove it to yourself.

Modern Athlete - March 2017 Edition

Check out my winning letter in the March 2017 edition of Modern Athlete.

https://www.modernathlete.co.za/magazine

and my prize ....

Thanks Modern Athlete!