Fun Run | Why You Should Try a Fun Run – Runner’s World

Last January, I signed on with a serious coach who leads a strong, reputable, and very competitive racing team. I was kicking off my Boston Marathon training and felt full of fire and excitement. Reaching my goals seemed easy until the training got tough and the miles became daunting.

I have always trained diligently for marathons since my first in 2008, but this was my first time with a coach who created workouts tailored specifically for me. I was extremely motivated and followed my program religiously. I stayed hyper-focused on every workout, every mile, and every split.

The way the workouts were written, it felt as if my coach had even more confidence and trust in my abilities than I did. And all the coaching started to pay off. I was getting faster and running more aggressively. I wasn’t just becoming a stronger runner; I was becoming a smarter runner, too. On paper, I was excelling in all aspects of my training. But on the inside, I was starting to crumble.

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Long runs felt like a chore, and speedwork felt impossible. Even the recovery runs I used to enjoy and approach with ease felt difficult. My spirits dropped, and my training started to suffer. All of the self-imposed pressure sucked every last drop of pleasure out of running.

I quickly realized I needed to reconnect to the reason I love running and the joy that it brings. So I tried something new: I temporarily abandoned my serious training program and signed up for a 5K “fun run.”

This fun run was an underground, unsanctioned bridge race hosted by a local running group late one Friday night in New York City. I was nervous and excited, but I had no clue what to expect. I arrived early like I would for any other race, but the environment was different. There was no announcer, no DJ or sound system. There were no costumes or lines for portapotties. And unlike the nervous, sometimes introverted runners in the corrals of most early-morning races, everyone here was really friendly and relaxed.

They socialized and laughed as they laced up. The racing element was still present, but the pressure was nowhere to be found. Once I adjusted to this new atmosphere, my usual prerace butterflies started to chill.

We lined up together as one, the slowest mixed in with the fastest. With no start gun, we eagerly awaited a stoplight to turn red as our signal to go—from green to yellow then (what seemed like hours later) to red, and we were off!

We dashed over the first bridge, and I surprisingly found myself in the lead pack. I felt relaxed, but I could tell I was going fast. Too fast? I wasn’t sure. I was so in awe of the city lights brightly shining that I didn’t even glance at my watch. We hit the second bridge, and I entered the pain cave. But instead of letting up, I tapped into the strength and discipline I learned during those training runs my coach had carefully programmed for me.

Without so much pressure—this run was just for fun—I seamlessly transitioned into a tough mind-set and doubled down on my ability to work hard. Thanks to my serious training experience, I was able to push through a brief moment of doubt in the final stretch that tempted me to pull back as I closed on the finish line.

I always had a strong understanding of the “why” behind my original goal, which helped me train so well in the first place. But when the training really starts to mount, we sometimes need to take a step back from the plan and the pressure to maintain a positive focus. Being firmly connected to the goal is a strong motivator that helps us stay committed to training programs. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are human and need a break from the intensity to stay energized, mentally and physically, for the hard work required.

So think of training plans less like a blueprint and more like a recipe. In a perfect world, we’d follow the recipe precisely down to every last grain of salt. But there are times when you just don’t have red wine vinegar in the pantry, and you need to improvise.

The same goes for your training plan. We’d all love to nail every single workout and maximize every minute of a recovery day, but successful training requires a balance between the emotional, mental, and physical tolls. It’s essential to find a way to cope with the extra stress from training while still managing your already demanding workload outside of running. That’s where the fun comes in, and the magic starts to happen. Don’t forget that your training is there to help you, not break you.

As for my for fun run? I ran my fastest 5K (19:24) that night, and there is no results page to prove it. But I don’t need that; I walked away with something far more valuable: the realization that I had it in me all along.

4 Ways to Swap More Fun Into Your Training Plan

1. Long Run = Destination Run

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Take advantage of the double-digit distance and map out a run that ends somewhere awesome: brunch, a beach, a music festival, or even a new town all make great finish lines. Building up your distance with a fun victory at the end helps you crush your training and reap the rewards.

2. Speedwork = Track Night

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Tired of completing intervals on your own? Head to the local track to see what groups meet there for speedwork or runs. Having training partners is useful for accountability and performance, plus there is an element of social engagement that brings you back to real life when the training gets too mentally draining.

3. Recovery Jog = Catch-Up Date

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No, your significant other doesn’t need to run. You can schedule a date with anyone. Meeting a friend for a recovery run will force you to keep the pace conversational as you chitchat along the way.

4. Tempo Miles = Fun Runs

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From unsanctioned bridge races to color runs, local running groups are passionate about creating a community and hosting fun events. Seek out info, then sign up for fun runs throughout your training plan to do some races that excite you but have far less performance pressure than your goal race.