A history of training, III: burnout

(Read Part 1 and Part 2 first.)

One of the toughest parts of burnout was losing running, right when I needed it most. Burnout robbed my energy whilst depression cleaved away my motivation.

Moving my body was a key aspect in getting through burnout. I walked every morning and spent long periods walking through nearby woods. I took up tai chi, lifted weights again and started rucking.

I started hiking and wild camping more frequently, culminating in a 5-day hike along the Beacons Way.

In 2023, I got hooked on hot yoga. It was great to be able to push myself and see improvements week on week, whether in stamina, flexibility or vitality. I thought I would train as a yoga teacher, but after 8 months of heavy training, the studio unexpectedly shut down.

Movement and training thawed me out of burnout. They reconnected me with the world around me, restored my autonomy and reignited my sense of adventure.

Humans are movers. Movement is in our bones, in our genes. The idea of sitting still inside closed-off buildings is a relatively new one, and while I like a nice warm library as much as the next person, a lifestyle based around sitting is suffocating a part of you.

I no longer know what life is without movement and training.

As for the running… it wasn’t until Spring this year that I started feeling I could run further, again. In April, I strung together a few longer runs, and then I joined the Frome Valley runs, organised by Bristol Trail Runners.

The first 16km night was a slog, but each time I came back, I felt my confidence growing. 5 weeks later, I was at the start line of a 50km race. And 6 hours later, I was sitting at the finish line, basking in the afterglow.

You never know when you might lose the things you value most. Find movement that brings you joy, while you can. I can’t think of a better investment in your well-being.