When running stops being your escape

For some people, running is much more than exercise.

It’s freedom.

Routine.

Identity.

Community.

Achievement.

A way of managing stress.

But running can become complicated.

An injury can take away something central to your identity.

Performance expectations can become overwhelming.

Training can become another source of pressure.

Or you may simply stop enjoying something that used to make you feel alive.

When injury affects more than your body

An injury can mean losing:

Your routine.

Your community.

Your goals.

Your confidence.

Your identity.

And sometimes your main way of managing stress.

Counselling can provide a space to explore that loss and what it means to you.

Personal bests.

Race times.

Training plans.

Expectations.

Comparison.

Sometimes the pursuit of improvement becomes another source of anxiety.

Counselling can help you explore the relationship between performance, self-worth and expectations.

That can be a surprisingly difficult question.

Especially after injury, illness, burnout or a major change in circumstances.

Counselling isn’t about telling you to stop running.

It’s about understanding the place running has in your life — and what happens when that relationship becomes difficult.

If your mental health is affecting your running, or running is affecting your mental health, get in touch.