Ep. #390: The Guilt-Free Runner’s Guide to Prioritizing Yourself

Welcome to the Not Your Average Runner podcast. I’m Jill Angie, a certified running coach, and your running BFF here to help you start running. Feel confident and love the journey no matter your size. Now, if you’ve ever felt like you just weren’t meant to be a runner, think again. I believe that running is for all bodies, even yours.

This podcast is your warmup buddy, giving you tips, motivation, and the support you need to lace up and get moving. I’ve helped thousands of women become runners, and now I wanna help you. Let’s go.

Hey, hey runner. Welcome back to the podcast where we do things our own way, in our own time in bodies that the fitness industry doesn’t always know quite what to do with. But you know what? We’re out here anyway, running, learning, growing, and sometimes. Feeling a little guilty about it. So today we are tackling something that comes up all the time in my coaching calls and in my dms, that’s sneaky, annoying joy.

Stealing emotion called guilt, specifically guilt about taking time to run. You know the drill, right? You finally carve out 30 minutes to get out the door. Maybe you’re already in your sports bra, your shoes are on, and then your brain starts in with, uh, shouldn’t I be cleaning right now? The kids need something.

I could be answering emails, I could get 10 emails answered, and the next. 30 minutes or just plain old, Ugh, this is selfish. I should stay home. So if that inner voice has ever talked you out of a run, I want you to know that you’re not alone. And today I’m gonna help you shut that shit down gently but firmly.

So let’s start with the big truth. Taking time for yourself is not selfish. Running is not frivolous and you don’t have to earn it. We have been conditioned, especially as women, especially in larger bodies, to believe that our value lies in how much we give, how many people we take care of, how busy we are, and how.

Small we can make ourselves. So when we choose to do something for ourselves that doesn’t directly benefit somebody else or fit in with society’s ideas of what we should look like, our brains, they sometimes can throw a tantrum. But here is the reframe I want you to hold onto. Running is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.

It’s how you decompress. It’s how you build confidence. It is how you reconnect with your body in a way that has nothing to do with shrinking it. And it is how you remind yourself that you are strong, capable, and deserving of time. That is just for you. And when you give yourself that time, you don’t become less available to the people in your life.

You become better equipped to show up for them because you are showing up for yourself first. Easier said than done, right? So how do you actually let go of the guilt? Let’s talk about it. It. Number one, you reframe it. Instead of thinking, I should be doing something more productive, try this run is how I stay grounded and sane.

This is how I refill my tank so that I can do all those other things without resentment. And running is self-care, not selfishness. Those are three super powerful thoughts that are way more helpful to you than I should be doing something more productive. And here’s a wild thought. Imagine your best friend said she was gonna take 30 minutes to go for a walk or a jog.

Would you tell her she was being selfish? No. You’d say, go get it, girl. You deserve the same kindness you would offer anyone else? I. Number two, be honest about the trade off. So let’s say you skip your run to do laundry or respond to emails. Alright, cool. Those things got done, but how do you feel afterwards?

Now, imagine that you do go on the run, you get fresh air, your body moves, your brain clears a little bit, you get a small boost of endorphins or a tiny boost of confidence when you come back. Okay? Yeah. The laundry is still there. But so are you, and now you’re in a better head space to handle all of it.

So the trade off is not between productive and lazy. It’s between feeling resentful and drained versus feeling recharged and present. That’s a powerful trade off. Number three, I want you to normalize some boundaries. So if you live with a partner or kids. You gotta do this, right? You are not a bad mom or a bad spouse for saying, I need 30 minutes to myself.

That is a powerful example to set, especially for your daughters, my friends, and your sons. Um, you are showing them that self-care matters that you needs matter, that you are, that you are important too. You don’t have to explain it or justify it. You can just say, this is my time. I need this run. I’ll be back in a better mood.

You’re welcome. So set the boundary, keep it simple. Repeat as needed. Number four, you’re gonna start small if you need to. Alright, we’re gonna minimum baseline this shit if 30 minutes feels overwhelming or indulgent. Okay, shrink the window, give yourself 10 minutes, run down the block and back. Hell run around the house if that’s all you’ve got today.

It’s not about checking a box on a training plan. It is about showing your brain and your schedule and your family that you matter. And once you start building that habit, your brain is gonna see it as normal. Okay? It’s gonna see it as a non-negotiable, and that’s powerful. And finally, number five, celebrate what running actually gives you.

Okay? This is your permission to shift the way you think about it. It’s not about losing weight. It’s not about hitting a pr. It’s not about earning your dinner. It’s about your mental health, your joy, your strength, your boundaries. It is about claiming space in your life that belongs to you without guilt and without apology.

So the next time that guilty voice shows up and it will, right? Do not tell yourself that something has gone wrong. If you’ve listened to this podcast and you’re like, yes, I get it, I’m not gonna feel guilty anymore, and then tomorrow you feel guilty. Alright, that’s normal, right? When that happens, I want you to picture me gently putting my hand on your shoulder and looking you in the eye and saying.

You are not selfish. You’re not lazy. You’re not letting anyone down. You’re taking care of yourself, and that matters, all right? You deserve time. You deserve joy, and you deserve to run because it fills your soul. That’s all I got for you today, short and sweet. And hey, if this episode hit home, please come hang out with me over on Instagram, I’m at not your average runner.

And over there you will find a lot of sass, a lot of motivation, maybe sometimes a little bit of tough love, but mostly sass. And hey, I will be back right here next week with more tips to help you rung strong, run happy, and run your way. Until next time, go prioritize yourself unapologetically. You’ve got this.

Real quick before you go, I’ve got a fun challenge for you. Take my exerciser personality quiz to find out exactly what kind of exerciser you are and how to make running feel easier and more enjoyable.

Just head over to not your average runner.com/quiz to take it and get your results. That’s not your average runner.com/quiz.