For those who quit running, what were the mental stages leading up to finally doing it?

If I post my email address, will you contact me? I have some questions about how you are doing and what happened. Thanks!

I quit at 30 because I couldn't stay healthy when I tried to do the level of training required to be any good. I'd break down at mileage most serious runners would consider low. I have some minor disc degeneration causing nerve issues down my left side. I'd stopped improving and wasn't enjoying it much anymore. I always trained alone so didn't have a group.to keep me motivated or involved. I also wanted to try doing other things.

I kept running 2-3 times a week for fitness and did various other hobbies including 5 aside football (soccer), Karate, playing guitar, rock climbing, triathlon but nothing really filled the void probably because I wasn't really very good at anything else. I started competing again at 40 and am loving it again although I still have some injury issues. I train smarter and managed to get back to a pretty good level within 18 months. Running gives me something to focus on, it's my escapism, is good for my mental health and I have a group to train with this time so have friends to keep me involved in the sport. Try and think about all the positive things about running as well as what's getting you down when making a decision. If you do quit, quitting doesn't have to be forever.

I'll never quit or retire. I just take longer breaks between workouts(days, weeks, months).

An easy jog about 2 miles/20 minutes or a walk. I still think about getting back into marathon shape although I'm 40+ lbs heavier than my last full Mary 20 years ago.

I went on a 60+ mile hike off the couch last year. It was a fun adventure, and I felt sense of accomplishment.

I didn't quit, but I went from 60-100MPW to 10-15MPW. Basically enough to burn off my weekly beer calories. I took up weightlifting (3 full-body workouts each week) and some cycling here and there.

Overall, I look better, feel better, and have way more time. Still love following the sport of running (hence me still being on LR since 2006) and love my 3 weekly runs of 3-5 miles. But high mileage was taking it's toll on me.

I was always tired, agitated, hungry, stressed about fitting in runs, and honestly, realized that even running a <2:30 marathon didn't mean sh*t in the grand scheme of things. I was skinny fat. I also had an endless stream of random niggles that were starting to p*ss me off. I'd have back pain for a few days, then my knee would hurt for a week, then my foot would hurt on and off for a month... I rarely felt truly healthy.

Best decision I ever made.

I've been injured for a couple of months now. At first I wanted to get back to running as quickly as I could but ended up in pain again. Since then I have lost motivation, but I am also feeling a sense of "been there, done that". I was motivated by chasing PRs but at this point it feels like splitting hairs.

Stage1: Recognition that running more than ~3 hours/week has no value beyond idle entertainment unless it’s your livelihood.

No more stages were necessary.

Dial 811

Have you fully quit yet? Seems like you still run sometimes, but maybe just don't race?

I had to quit because of injuries. I still dream about it, and live vicariously through others.

Train for the 400 meter sprint instead. Or even the 200. Sprint training is less painful and psychologically taxing than long distance running. And if you ever get a strained quad or hammy, you can just stop doing sprints for a week or two and lift weights instead.

A lot less addiction withdrawal when you're training for sprints.

I'm on a long hiatus at the moment due to injury and I have realised how obsessed I became with running, to the point I was burnt out and lost all interest. Running had become a priority, a coping mechanism and I became addicted to strava in the process... If my injuries ever go away I fully intend to run again but I will limit myself to 4 days a week and focus on key runs, or just jog and not race. I ran myself into the ground when I was already tired for well over a year.

With sprinting you still have to deal with the starting line anxiety/nerves and I'm sure obsessively think about the race in the days leading up. And your self-confidence will still be a function of your fitness and race results. I'm not sure it would take up any less mental energy or time.

I've had different issues over the past 1.75 years including lack of motivation.

Constant injuries. I'm having pain now in my abdomen after a faster run. Small lump there. I'm at the point where I've almost had enough. Hamstrings, tendinitis, groin pain, achilles, hernia

I just got too fat to run. That ended it.

Likewise. Two hernias, 10 years of hamstring pain, knees failing. But if I'm not running I'm simply not going to exercise... tough

I think I am going to have to quit for psychological reasons.

In the past I have been obsessed with hitting a certain amount of mileage or doing this or that, to the point where I ran through injuries for long periods of time and just wore myself out.

I've got a hold on that to some extent, but now it's other things like race times and it's making me miserable.

I nuked strava a while back but now I think I just need to quit all together and take up cycling.

RED-S and a string of stress fractures followed by three years of healthy running (3-4 days a week). Then came back strong, fast and healthy.

What injuries were those?