Are you Afraid to Cut Back on Running? Here’s What I learned When I finally Did

My alarm cut through the silence of the hotel room. Flipping to my side, I checked the time: 4:45 a.m. I felt a familiar dread creeping up through my stomach to my throat. As the coffee in the little plastic coffee maker brewed, I laced up my sneakers.

For years, I was afraid to cut back on running, despite every bone in my body begging for me to stay in bed.

TL;DR:
I used to run every day, terrified that cutting back meant losing progress. But scaling down my mileage gave me back strength, calm, and joy. If you’re afraid to cut back on running, this is what really happens when you finally stop forcing it.

It was just a “little” morning jog. I told myself I wanted to run, but the reality was that I had a case of runner’s dread – that hollow feeling in your gut before feet even hit pavement. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I could do the run. It was that mentally and physically, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to anymore.

In 2023, I had signed up for a marathon scheduled for the end of the summer. As a result, and to stick to my plan, I was forced to run a 14-mile training run on a work trip.

Back then, there was a part of me that knew I had lost the joy in running — but I was too afraid to ease up on my miles or cut back on running altogether. It took two more years of grinding out long runs before I finally decided to make a change. When I finally did, it was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

When Discipline Becomes a Cage

Here’s why this matters for runners like me (and maybe you). This is what I wish someone had told me before I burned out. For anyone afraid to cut back on running, this is what actually happens.

Running had once been something I loved, looked forward to, and genuinely got excitement and happiness from. But over time, the habit became a prison. I was afraid to cut back on running because I thought it would mean losing progress — when really, I was just losing joy. I’d been running for most of my life, and nearly every single day for 7 years straight. Physically, I could still do the miles, but mentally, I was checked out.

The problem wasn’t running itself. There was part of me that still enjoyed the act of running. Rather, the issue was the pressure I put on myself to run more miles than I truly wanted or needed to. Over the years, my mileage kept increasing, reaching a point that didn’t feel sustainable in the long term. And yet, I also did not feel like I could scale back without a) gaining weight, or b) losing all the “hard work” I had put into my training.

In the beginning, running made me feel free – strong, capable, and motivated. When I was anxious or low, it gave me an outlet.

But over time, this sense of accomplishment and relief faded. Still, despite not actively training for a race, I ran every day. At one point, I was running 10 miles per day – every day.

I had inadvertently set an unbreakable standard for myself. Yet, instead of partnering with myself, I had become my own drill sergeant. I never permitted myself to run less than 5 miles a day unless I was sick or severely injured.

By the fall of 2025, I came to terms with the fact that running did not bring me the joy I told myself it brought me. I wasn’t even sure if I liked running anymore.

Why I was Afraid to Cut Back on Running

In truth, I had continued to run so many miles because I was afraid—afraid that if I stopped, I would gain weight. Years earlier, after a stretch of weight gain in my mid-twenties, I attributed my weight loss directly to running.

Rationally, I knew that better eating habits and less alcohol consumption likely played a larger role. But still, fear isn’t rational, and it tends to whisper louder than logic. That fear is exactly why I stayed afraid to cut back on running for so long.

Moreover, I had built my identity around running. I was a runner. The idea that someone could revoke my “runner’s card” was terrifying. I liked being a runner and didn’t want to lose that piece of me.

But after years of being married to hours-long runs, I finally asked myself: was I running because I wanted to—or because I was afraid not to?

I came to terms with the fact that I wasn’t running for joy anymore. I was running from fear.

The Breaking Point: Overtraining and Burnout

This is what I wish someone had told me before I burned out.

Deep down, I knew my running habit was colliding with other goals. Mainly, I wanted to get stronger in the gym and build lean muscle. I didn’t realize it at the time, but by running as much as I was, my body was chronically inflamed from elevated cortisol levels caused by regular long runs.

What I was experiencing is known as “overtraining,” though I didn’t recognize it then. In short, I was running too high a volume with too little recovery, resulting in too much cortisol being pumped into my system. We all need rest, and so many of us are hardwired against this

Still, the little nagging voice in the back of my head kept saying:

• If you stop, you’ll go right back to where you were ten years ago.
• If you cut back miles, you’re no longer a “hard-core” runner.
• All that time spent training—it’s all a waste.
• You’re going to gain weight.
• You won’t be a runner anymore.

Looking back, I wish I’d understood that being afraid to cut back on running was part of what kept me stuck in that cycle of running-induced burnout. For anyone afraid to cut back on running, this is what actually happened to me.

What Happened When I Finally Cut Back Running Miles

The turning point came at the end of September when I came down with a two-week cold. Forced off the treadmill for nearly five days, I started to reflect on why I’d been so afraid to reduce my running mileage in the first place.

In the twenty-plus years I had been running, this was the first time I questioned my own discipline and motives.

When I got better, I eased myself back into running by only running three miles instead of my usual seven or ten. I was surprised by how much better I felt. The short run allowed me extra time at the gym to lift weights. I felt more motivated at the end of my run.

After I recovered from my cold, I decided to keep my miles low. Over time, I started to realize that I was feeling good on multiple levels.

The Surprising Benefits of Doing Less

Here’s what I noticed in the first few weeks:

• To my surprise, the numbers on the scale changed—but not in the way I expected. I actually lost a few pounds.
• My mood started to lift, and I felt happier.
• The dread I felt around running began to dissipate.
• I was able to push myself harder on my shorter runs.
• I felt more motivated to run earlier in the day.
• My body didn’t feel puffy with stress.
• I had more energy (and time) to lift at the gym. I was starting to see gains.

Letting go of some of my mileage didn’t mean I was giving up my hobby and sport. Instead, it meant I had space to recoup a part of me I had been running from.

For years, I convinced myself I was chasing health, but really I was chasing control. The miles weren’t the problem; it was the meaning I attached to them. I believed that if I kept up the mileage, I’d stay far away from the version of myself I was most ashamed of—the one who was overweight, lazy, or an underachiever.

I learned that fear loves routines that look and feel productive. It hides behind discipline and calls itself “self-improvement.” But if your routine leaves you anxious, exhausted, and strips the joy from your day, then it’s not really discipline anymore—you’re merely devoted to your fear.

If you’re afraid of cutting back your running miles, I want you to understand this: pulling back your miles won’t end your relationship with running—it will change it. You can always run more if you want to, because you know you’re capable. The difference is that when you don’t have to run a ridiculous number of miles every day, it’s the most liberating feeling in the world.

These days, I try to cap my running at thirty minutes a day. Sometimes I go a little over. I’m not yet at the point where I’m willing to take a full day off from running, but maybe I’ll get there one day.

Letting Go Without Losing Yourself

If you’ve ever felt afraid to cut back on running, despite being burned out, I get it. Reducing mileage, especially when you’ve worked so hard to get to the place you’re in, can be terrifying. I recommend treating it like an experiment. Cut your miles down by 30 percent for a week. See what your body says. Cut back another 10 to 20 percent the next week. Monitor, listen, and reflect.

You may find that your mood brightens, you feel less puffy from inflammation, and you have more time in your day. See what your body tells you when you’re finally ready to listen.

I’m here to tell you that if you’re stuck in the trap of high mileage and part of you wants to know what it feels like to break out of this prison, you have permission to let go. You can always return to your old plan.

Maybe, if you’re anything like me, you’ll find that freedom isn’t always about going farther or harder. Sometimes, it’s about stopping when you’ve gone far enough.

P.S. No one’s coming for your “runner’s card.”

Feeling tired in other areas of your life? If you’re curious to learn more about burnout, in life and work, check out my article series focusing on the sneaky signs of burnout, myths of burnout, the causes of burnout,

FAQs About Reducing Mileage

Is it okay to take a break from running without losing fitness?
Absolutely. Short breaks or reduced mileage often help your body recover, rebuild muscle, and improve long-term performance.

I’m afraid to cut back on running because I’ll gain weight. What should I do?
That fear is common. Cutting mileage while strength training or cross-training can actually improve your strength, energy, and confidence.