Difference between running and training (and their motivation)

What is your motivation to get out and run/train every day?

Just recently, I noticed that for myself there indeed is quite a difference between the perception of running and that of training, and their motivation, which I am trying to put into words here. Sure, running is training and training is running, don’t you agree? I would agree…to some extent.

Most of us started running for various, but often specific reasons:
losing weight, staying fit and healthy, competing in races, getting fresh air, escaping work (or something else), and many others. However, some of us run because we enjoy it. Also, I am probably not exaggerating if I say that most of us “did not like it at all at the beginning“.
Nevertheless, for some reason, we stuck to it, and many of us slowly converted into a group of enjoyers. Enjoying spending time outside, the repetitive movement, switching off the brain or the opposite – meditating about work/life/family questions and problems.

Running

For myself, I enjoy running the most the fittest I am (haha, logical consequence and easy to say), but honestly, to be able to enjoy running to its fullest, one requires at least some level of fitness. Being able to run 1h+ at whatever comfortable (or even less comfortable) pace will usually take a beginner some months or even years to accomplish. But things will just get better, running becoming easier. Runner’s highs will come more often. And it is partially those runs, 10-20 km, at a fastish pace, that I enjoy the most.

You feel like merging with your surroundings, the legs flow over the floor (which can be anywhere! Ideally in a great setting like a forest, mountain or beach, but even a city, and, of course, also races), the endorphins accumulate in your brain, the smile on your face gets smilier, and you feel like the whole world is making sense, from micro-to-macro cosmos. Or, to better put it in the words of Dan Sturn taken from his book The Runner’s High: “I flew closer and closer to the place mystics and shamans and acidheads all try to describe. Each moment became precious. I felt simultaneously all alone and completely connected.”
This, for me, is the ultimate running experience and is (besides chasing personal bests) what motivates me to actually train. No train (almost) no gain.

If you want to be able to run at such a level, you need to get out often. Not every day, not every other day, but you have to be persistent and consistent. Get your legs up and out for two/three/four times per week over several weeks, over several months and years. Otherwise, you will have to start (nearly) all over again.

TRAINING

In my experience, training is a little bit different (but it ideally incorporates those feelings in a training run now and then). Training could be the preparation for an upcoming race or just a personal best on your home loop, and it can be hard at times. It actually has to be hard if it should help you advance. And for most of us, having a goal, which means usually a race, in mind is often the motivation for consistent running and hard training.

However, for me, training is also the consistency that gets me outside no matter what weather and what day (with very few exceptions). For several years, I consistently ‘train’ four to six times per week. Obviously, not all of those runs are great. Actually, I would say only 50-70% are nice or just okay, 10-20% are great, with a few of them rather not fun (sluggish, nothing works, tired, hungry). But the motivation for keeping my fitness up, in order to eventually have my perfect run with a high or another amazing race again is most of the time what gets me going. Of course, over the years, it also becomes a routine and simply a habit to go out and run, on weekends often around or above 2 hours, when you disconnect and let the mind float. Almost every time without questioning it anymore (why am I doing this?).
And of course, not all of those runs are great. But if I deeply listen to myself, it is because I want to have my great fun runs and races. The feelings I experience during such runs or when finishing fun and hard races are above most of any other ‘daily’ feelings. The world never seems clearer and more positive to me than during those runs. But in order to get there, I have to get out and train regularly.

SUmmary

In short, mostly I don’t run because I want to break my next record in my next race but to stay fit and to enjoy one or the other fun run eventually. What is that next record anyways? It is a time, nothing less, nothing more. A time that many others undercut as well as many others have surpassed. Yes, I admit, training for my first sub3h marathon was a super motivation, and this race in Valencia was 2:59h of pure emotions and happiness. But what comes after? I will never run sub2h30, and even if, this is still far from Olympic qualification 😛.

If times motivate you (temporarily), that is great. But ideally, the fountain should be deeper. Many of my peers go out and train just to scrap those 2 minutes off their personal best (in whatever race), which obviously is a great motivation and useful if that is what keeps you going for a run. I just want to suggest trying to look deeper, be less competitive and train for the sake of running. On the topic of competitiveness; it is crazy, some of us really cannot stand getting overtaken by someone else. Just let it go, and be happy for them (and their apparently excellent training and run). This is also one amazing thing I mainly like in trail runners: Yes, the field is competitive; of course, you do the race to perform well. Nevertheless, you’re there for each other. You acknowledge if someone is doing better than you and you embrace each other’s powers but also limits (as an excellent example for this, have a look at the movie UNBREAKABLE: The Western States 100 – freely available during times of Corona lockdown)

Ideally, everyone has their own ways of reaching such or similar (or better) state. Many through sports, others through meditation or arts (and their creation) or whatever. However, many also don’t know how to reach this state – may be a good motivation to try and start running 😉. It will take time to get there, but it is fully worth it. And if you ever reach it, most importantly, stick with it. If running is not for you, try something else.