Burned Out?

You're burned out. Move on to other activities or goals.

Maybe focus on some other distance for a while, or take up cycling.
Or triathlons (a favourite among burnt out runners it seems). Or hiking.
Or yoga.

Good luck,
--
Elflord

I should add-we do miss running and found that it was a big part of
our life. Our life revolved around running. Saturdays were never
complete until we had run at least 12 miles.

We have been thinking that we are going to give it up, but it seems
very strange to think that we would be without running. Our lives
were defined by running-to think that they won't be is very foreign
and feels uncomfortable. I think my wife would have an easier time
letting go than me, but it seems very strange to give something like
running up.

Quoted message said:

I should add-we do miss running and found that it was a big part of
our life. Our life revolved around running. Saturdays were never
complete until we had run at least 12 miles.

We have been thinking that we are going to give it up, but it seems
very strange to think that we would be without running. Our lives
were defined by running-to think that they won't be is very foreign
and feels uncomfortable. I think my wife would have an easier time
letting go than me, but it seems very strange to give something like
running up.

So do triathlons -- that way, you get to keep some running, but also inject
a bit of variety.

Cheers,
--
Elflord

"...we just need an extended vacation from running or exercise in
general."

Eight paragraphs and then you answer your own question at the end.

Glad we couldn't help.

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been running marathons for years-she comes from a
cross-country/track background and me from a triathlon/swimming
background. We recently moved to Chapel Hill NC from the midwest for
me to go to graduate school.

I don't remember my NC geography that well, but isn't Chapel Hill in the
part of NC near the hills and mountains? Should be some great trail
running - from short to long distances - there that could provide needed
diversity. Probably some good mtn biking there also.

Quoted message said:

I have never been so unmotivated for physical activity ever. We tried
swimming for a few weeks in place of running and that got boring.

We can't even get excited for racing anymore.

How about just going running on trails, without racing. Remove some of
the pressure and past structure.

Quoted message said:

I should mention that I have a lot to do at school and she is in a
really crappy job that sucks the life out of her.

FWIW, my first running (really more of casual jogging) was in grad
school - to wake myself up enough in the morning so I wouldn't fall
asleep in my 8 o'clock (taught by my major prof). But I hadn't run at
all before except in sports practices.

My first structured running was when a really frustrating project at
work drove me to running (just wanted to do "a little more"😉. For me, it
provided a welcome release and something else to focus on.

Maybe you need to either drop the emphasis on racing or just go out and
enjoy some other activity or even running through the woods. Just some
diversity in life.

Maybe even just a recovery period from moving and adapting to new
location and grad school.

Dot

--
"The goal is training and adaptation, not destruction and injury."
- John Hardy
http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/misc/training.shtml

Take a rest, if needed, but be sure to substitute your running with
some other healthy exercise, or your health will decline sharply.

As Dot says, it does not have to be racing; just vigorous activity,
with some aerobic component.

Or just do it anyway, at a scaled back pace; because afterall, if you
don't, you die.

Quoted message said:

So what gives? Has anyone had any similar experiences? Do we just
need an extended vacation from running or exercise in general.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Have a look here : http://www.runningland.com/ . Maybe it will
inspire you. And it's right in your own backyard!

live! vicariously!

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Both of you losing interest at the same time might mean,
one of you were running to keep up with the other.

If you really want to continue to run, you have to search what was
the motivating factor to begin with. May be a training log would help,
to find the great moments or the times you did not like to run and why.
Also sharing your weekly training on a forum like this keeps you motivated.

As others have pointed out, you just have to move on to more interesting
things and get back to running when it seems enjoyable again.

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been running marathons for years-she comes from a
cross-country/track background and me from a triathlon/swimming
background. We recently moved to Chapel Hill NC from the midwest for
me to go to graduate school.

We've been running marathons for five years now; I've done 4 and she's
done 5. My PR is a 3:08 and hers is a 3:14. We did this PRs on 40-60
miles a week. For several years we rean 40-60 miles a week. We
always felt good and had a lot of fun doing it. We would race a lot
and fast-58:30 15K for me and a a 1:00 15K for her.

That was then and now we can barely drag our asses out the door. We
just ran Philadelphia marathon last November, took 3 weeks off, and
have been running 20-30 miles a week since then. Some weeks we can
barely get 20 in without feeling like poo-poo.

I have never been so unmotivated for physical activity ever. We tried
swimming for a few weeks in place of running and that got boring.

We can't even get excited for racing anymore.

I should mention that I have a lot to do at school and she is in a
really crappy job that sucks the life out of her. I know that these
can't help us, but she ran harder than this when she was in law school
and I was working full time.

So what gives? Has anyone had any similar experiences? Do we just
need an extended vacation from running or exercise in general.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Marathons are not good for you. Half marathons are better. A new girl
friend might make things less stale. Extended rest makes sense.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been running marathons for years-she comes from a
cross-country/track background and me from a triathlon/swimming
background. We recently moved to Chapel Hill NC from the midwest for
me to go to graduate school.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

We've been running marathons for five years now; I've done 4 and she's
done 5. My PR is a 3:08 and hers is a 3:14. We did this PRs on 40-60
miles a week. For several years we rean 40-60 miles a week. We
always felt good and had a lot of fun doing it. We would race a lot
and fast-58:30 15K for me and a a 1:00 15K for her.

Quoted message said:

That was then and now we can barely drag our asses out the door. We
just ran Philadelphia marathon last November, took 3 weeks off, and
have been running 20-30 miles a week since then. Some weeks we can
barely get 20 in without feeling like poo-poo.

Quoted message said:

I have never been so unmotivated for physical activity ever. We tried
swimming for a few weeks in place of running and that got boring.

Quoted message said:

We can't even get excited for racing anymore.

Quoted message said:

I should mention that I have a lot to do at school and she is in a
really crappy job that sucks the life out of her. I know that these
can't help us, but she ran harder than this when she was in law school
and I was working full time.

Quoted message said:

So what gives? Has anyone had any similar experiences? Do we just
need an extended vacation from running or exercise in general.

Quoted message said:

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

While job stress, sleep deprivation or poor diet can detract from
running enthusiasm, lack of planned recovery from running can detract
from enthusiasm for the job and life in general.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have never been so unmotivated for physical activity ever. We tried
swimming for a few weeks in place of running and that got boring.

Find some trails, enjoy nature(no headphones) and totally ignore pace.
Take a walk or sex break and enjoy the views. Trails can be therapeutic
but child bearing if you not "careful." Think like Thoreau.

-Doug

"Dot" <dot.h@#duh?att.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been running marathons for years-she comes from a
cross-country/track background and me from a triathlon/swimming
background. We recently moved to Chapel Hill NC from the midwest
for
me to go to graduate school.

I don't remember my NC geography that well, but isn't Chapel Hill in
the part of NC near the hills and mountains? Should be some great
trail running - from short to long distances - there that could
provide needed diversity. Probably some good mtn biking there also.

Scary how we think alike. 🙂

-Doug

Are there any gyms near you? You can join a gym and take a spinning class
together and do some strength training which is very important. You will
make new friends too. Establish a new exerise routine together that involves
a combination of things: spinning, weights, maybe even rowing. This way,
when you get bored with one activity, you have several others you can do to
stay in shape. Also, pick an easy day and start it with a long, brisk walk
together instead of running. Make sure you are getting proper nutrition for
all your exercise. Also, get your iron levels checked. I think that level of
running (pounding) can break down red blood cells.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been running marathons for years-she comes from a
cross-country/track background and me from a triathlon/swimming
background. We recently moved to Chapel Hill NC from the midwest for
me to go to graduate school.

We've been running marathons for five years now; I've done 4 and she's
done 5. My PR is a 3:08 and hers is a 3:14. We did this PRs on 40-60
miles a week. For several years we rean 40-60 miles a week. We
always felt good and had a lot of fun doing it. We would race a lot
and fast-58:30 15K for me and a a 1:00 15K for her.

That was then and now we can barely drag our asses out the door. We
just ran Philadelphia marathon last November, took 3 weeks off, and
have been running 20-30 miles a week since then. Some weeks we can
barely get 20 in without feeling like poo-poo.

I have never been so unmotivated for physical activity ever. We tried
swimming for a few weeks in place of running and that got boring.

We can't even get excited for racing anymore.

I should mention that I have a lot to do at school and she is in a
really crappy job that sucks the life out of her. I know that these
can't help us, but she ran harder than this when she was in law school
and I was working full time.

So what gives? Has anyone had any similar experiences? Do we just
need an extended vacation from running or exercise in general.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!