Why Running Is Easy to Start—and Hard to Keep
It’s not easy to be a consistent runner. If it were, everyone would be doing it. But most people don’t. Life gets in the way. Time slips through our fingers. Excuses multiply. And yet, every year, more people take up running. More races are being run. More finish lines are being crossed. There’s something magnetic about it.
I started running in 2010, and for the past fifteen years, I’ve experienced almost everything this lifestyle can throw at you. Highs, lows, breakthroughs, burnouts, race-day glory, and weeks where I couldn’t get out the door. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s this: the beginning is easy. The middle is hard. And the hardest part is to keep going.
The Yo-Yo Runner’s Reality
At first, running feels exciting. You’re learning new things every day—how your body moves, how your breath behaves, what food gives you energy, when to rest. It’s like falling in love. But like all infatuations, the novelty fades. Real life returns. And then you have to decide: will you make running part of your life? Or will you leave it behind like so many temporary passions?
Some people run just long enough to lose weight. Others stop because work got busier, a baby arrived, a house needed building, or the motivation dried up. I’ve known people who ran because they were quitting smoking—running gave them something to hold onto when the cravings hit. But as soon as they stopped wanting cigarettes, they also stopped wanting to run.
The reasons we stop are as personal and varied as we are.
When You’re at a Crossroads
For many of us, running is not a permanent lifestyle. It comes and goes like a tide. We run for a season, stop, gain weight, feel guilt, start again, repeat. It’s the yo-yo runner’s cycle—and I know it well. There were months when I couldn’t run at all, and months when I was obsessed, running five times a week, sometimes more. I’ve lived both extremes. And I keep asking myself: where does the balance lie?
Right now, I’m facing that question again.
I haven’t run seriously since the 1st Garmin Cyprus Troodos Marathon in 2017. Since then, life has been pulling me in other directions. I’m finishing my house. I’m helping my parents with agricultural work—removing weeds, watering plants, harvesting fruit. These tasks take time and energy, and some days I go to bed feeling like I’ve already run a marathon, even though I haven’t put on my running shoes.
The Gift That Running Gave Me
There’s a voice in my head saying, Maybe it’s time to quit for now. Maybe you’ll run again next year. And there’s another voice that says, Don’t let go of the thing that changed you.
Because running didn’t just make me fitter. It didn’t just help me lose weight or finish races. It opened the door to something much bigger: a complete change in how I live and think. Running introduced me to plant-based nutrition. It helped me deal with stress. It reshaped my self-image. It made me someone I’m proud to be.
And so, I keep returning to it.
Real Heroes Don’t Always Win Races
I admire people who never stop. They start running one day and they never look back. They run through pregnancies, job changes, heartbreak, injuries. They adapt. They don’t always race, but they always move. Some of them are ten, twenty years older than I am, and they’re still hitting personal records. Those are my heroes—not the elite athletes, but the ordinary people who just keep showing up.
That’s who I want to become.
When You Need to Start Again
In 2017, I completed my second 50K race and a full marathon. It was a good year. And every time I feel myself drifting from the sport, I think back to that version of myself—the one who trained hard, who showed up, who believed.
But motivation fades. That’s normal. What matters is knowing how to get it back.
For me, part of the answer lies in books. Books saved me when I was ready to give up. Books reminded me that running doesn’t need to take over your life. It just needs to fit into it.
Learning to Run Smarter, Not Longer
One title that changed everything for me is Run Less, Run Faster. It proposes something simple but revolutionary: you can train effectively by running just three times a week, as long as you run with purpose. Add two days of alternative training—like cycling or strength work—and leave room for rest. It’s not magic, but it works. I used this plan to prepare for races when time was scarce, and it never let me down.
Of course, I didn’t follow it word for word. Nobody should. The real value of training plans is not in their rules, but in their philosophy. You take the mindset, the framework, and then you shape it to your life.
Fuel, Strength, and the Mindset to Endure
I also learned a lot from Thrive Fitness by Brendan Brazier and Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness by Robert Cheeke. Both of these books helped me build a routine around plant-based nutrition and strength training. They also helped me understand how to fuel my runs, how to recover, and how to listen to my body.
And when I was training for ultras—those brutal, beautiful races beyond the marathon distance—I found strength in Hal Koerner’s Field Guide to Ultrarunning. It’s a practical, honest, and empowering resource. And for emotional fuel, I turned to Finding Ultra by Rich Roll and Eat & Run by Scott Jurek. Those stories reminded me that we all start from somewhere, and that resilience is built one mile at a time.
This Is How I Run Now
These days, I get home from work around 4:30 p.m. After a short break, I run from 5 to 6 p.m. three days a week—usually Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The summer sun in Cyprus gives me enough light to do other work afterward—whether it’s helping my parents or continuing work on the house. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I lift weights in the small gym I set up at home. Weekends are for rest—though rest is a relative term when you’re hauling cement or picking fruit.
This is my compromise. I’ve lowered my expectations. I’m not training for an ultra right now, and that’s okay. I’m focusing on 5Ks. I’m focusing on staying lean and strong. And I’m staying connected to the runner within me.
What a Small Change Can Do
One day, I’ll train for that 60-miler I’ve always dreamed about. But that day doesn’t have to be today.
Let me leave you with this: whatever your goal is—whether it’s running a 5K, losing weight, quitting smoking, or just becoming someone who moves every day—it starts with one decision. One tiny change. For me, that change happened in 2009 when I quit smoking cold turkey. That decision led me to running. Running led me to plant-based eating. And together, they helped me become someone I barely recognize compared to who I used to be.
I’m not here to give you a menu or a training schedule. I’m here to tell you that you already know what to do. You just need to trust yourself, listen to your body, and when your brain starts feeding you excuses—smile, lace up, and run anyway.
Because in the end, running isn’t about pace or distance.
It’s about showing up—for yourself.
Discover more in my book: “42 tips that will make you a better runner” where I share my experience of more than ten years of running.
Disclaimer: This article shares personal opinions and experiences. It is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. Use this information at your own risk.
