Run for Fun: Breaking through a running plateau

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — In this week’s episode of Run for Fun, we tackle the dreaded running plateau. When people start running, they often improve quickly and set new personal records in races. After a few years, getting faster becomes harder as the runner gets closer to their full potential.

That plateau can make running feel less exciting and less fun overall. In this episode, Leigh Spann and Coach Maria discuss ways to break through this plateau both physically and mentally.

At some point, runners cannot rely on getting faster to create the fun feeling, and they may need mental training to find the excitement they felt early in their running life.

Both Spann and Coach Maria have experienced times when running felt more like a drain on their lives rather than bringing them joy. They chat about how they worked to break through the rough times to find the fun in running again.

It’s important to remember that few things in life feel fun every day, including running. Coach Maria compares running to a marriage, where it can take work to keep the love strong over the years, but it’s worth it.

For more tips on keeping running a fun part of your life, watch or listen to previous episodes of Run for Fun.

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