How to Rediscover the Joy of Running in 2025
By Dr. Trish Kana PT, DPT
It felt like everyone was running in 2024. The Berlin Marathon broke the record for most participants at 54,280 in September. Not to be outdone and in typical NY fashion, the New York City Marathon beat that record less than 2 months later with 55,646 finishers. So many runners qualified for the 2025 Boston Marathon that they had to cut over 12,000 submissions and drop the qualifying standards for future races by 5min. Needless to say, starting lines everywhere are getting saturated with runners.
And let’s not forget the little app that lets runners share how much, how long, and how fast they are running with all of their friends. Strava is the Instagram for the running world, a highlight reel of PRs and medals. Our dopamine-addicted and competitive brains love to see those upward sloping lines showing that we are pushing ourselves, getting stronger, getting faster - week after week, month after month.
In a world where everything is tracked and data is king, these stats can be overwhelming - whether you’ve been running for decades or are just stepping onto the scene. If the numbers are dominating your brain and taking the fun out of the run, here are some tips to rediscover your love for the sport in 2025:
Find new routes to explore. There’s nothing like new scenery to stimulate the brain and reawaken a sense of adventure and exploration. You’re covering a lot of ground when you run- appreciate it all! Plus, if you are always running the same path, your body is getting the same physical stimulus each run, so switch it up and challenge yourself. If you’re feeling stuck, there are great resources to find popular trail and road running routes around Portland.
Run without your watch, don’t track it! Why is this one so hard?! No more “if it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen”. Running without tracking all that data is a great way to learn to run “by feel” rather than pace, heart rate, or any other objective stat. It can also be extremely freeing to know that however the run goes, good or bad, no one but you has to know about it.
Run slower. This is a really tough one for most runners, but not wearing your watch can help with training your body to adapt to slower paces and can help you actually enjoy the process of running.
Switch it up! Running every day? Swap a day for cross-training and incorporate strength training. Reduce the load and impact on your joints and start to build a stronger base so you can add mileage and increase speed while decreasing your risk for injury.
Run with a friend or a group! This can also help you run slower, savor the conversation, the views, the fresh air. Check out some local run groups in the Greater Portland, Maine Area:
SAS Run Club with Coastal Run Maine
Don’t wait for pain to go away. An irritated tissue that’s been bugging you for a couple of weeks is usually much easier to manage than something that’s been sticking around for several months. Book an appointment with one of our running physical therapists who specialize in treating running injuries. They will help you get to the root cause of your pain, prescribe an individualized plan, and get you back on track.
Basically, do what you can to remove the aspects of running that don’t serve you and embrace the parts that you love. Set yourself up for a successful running journey in 2025. We’ll see you out there!