Embracing Boredom
that’s runnable
The 22nd Edition of your favourite running newsletter
Welcome back to your weekly dose of run chat.
A quick read of insightful tips and thoughts to help you with your running.
In an age where every moment can be filled with notifications, screens and stimulations, boredom seems like an enemy we constantly outrun. But for runners, those long, quiet stretches of the trail or road can become rare gifts. Embracing boredom while running isn’t just about unplugging—it’s about tapping into a creative headspace, building resilience, and those “boring” miles may be some of the most valuable on your journey.
Something to Think About
Think about how rarely we let ourselves be truly alone with our thoughts anymore. Face your inner dialogue, process emotions, and explore thoughts that only emerge when there’s nothing else to distract you.
Something to Ask Yourself
What might you discover if you let yourself lean into those quiet moments on the run? What if the boredom you experience while running isn’t something to escape but a powerful way to reconnect with yourself?
Article of the Week 📄
I couldn’t really find much about the value of boredom when you’re running, but this was quite an interesting read. The article “The Surprising Benefits of Boredom” explores how boredom, though often seen as unpleasant, can have unexpected benefits. It reveals that boredom prompts self-reflection, encourages creativity, and fosters problem-solving skills. By confronting the discomfort of unmet arousal, people can gain greater self-awareness and resilience, making boredom a valuable experience for personal growth.
Track of the Week 🎶
I promise I was actually planning on having See You Again as this week’s track, but it would be weird to not choose this song from the Album. The whole album’s one of the best run accompaniments!
This week’s Track of the Week, from the Album Flower Boy, is:
Boredom (feat. Rex Orange County & Anna of the North) by Tyler, The Creator (2017)
Personal Lesson
Growing up, I never understood why people ran. It seemed like a mind-numbingly boring activity with no real purpose. Why would anyone voluntarily put themselves through mile after mile of just… running? I brushed it off as something I’d never waste my time doing. For years, that belief held me back from even trying it out. But when I left school, curiosity got the best of me, and I finally laced up a pair of running shoes.
My first few runs didn’t exactly prove me wrong. If anything, they solidified my previous ideas. Running was boring. There were stretches of time where my thoughts circled the same way my feet hit the pavement, over and over again. But as I kept going, I began to notice something I hadn’t before, a strange value in the monotony of it. When everything else around me had always been about stimulation and distraction, running was this forced simplicity. There were no notifications, no conversations, just my thoughts and the steady rhythm of my feet. Ironically, the less I tried to fight the boredom, the more fascinating it became.
Now, after years of running, I’ve found myself on trails for over 20 hours, fully immersed in the quiet.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
Running is like clearing out a cluttered room. As you sit with the simplicity, you start to see what’s left behind when all the noise is gone—old thoughts, untouched ideas, even the parts of yourself you hadn’t realised were buried beneath the chaos. Just like a room slowly becomes a peaceful space, running turns those empty miles into moments of clarity. It teaches us that boredom isn’t something to escape, but rather a chance to clear away distraction and find value in what’s been there all along.
Final Thoughts
Given we’re constantly fed information, entertainment, and distraction, it’s easy to label running as boring. But perhaps it’s not that running itself is dull, it’s that we’ve become so accustomed to being constantly entertained that the absence of noise feels uncomfortable. When you’re out on the road or trail, there’s nothing to shield you from your thoughts, no screen to scroll, and no endless stream of information to numb you. Running brings you face to face with yourself, offering a space of rare, undisturbed quiet. It’s a place where you can break free from the pull of endless stimulation and just be.
Running boredom has a transformative power. In those quiet kilometres, you’ll start to notice thoughts you didn’t know you had, patterns that shape your days, and even dreams that had been buried beneath the busyness. This isn’t always easy, and at first, it can feel uncomfortable. But that’s exactly where its value lies. The monotony of running gradually teaches you to sit with yourself, to acknowledge your thoughts without distraction, and to find comfort in your own mind. As you continue, this space of solitude becomes less about silence and more about discovery. Running offers a form of self-reflection that’s different from any you’ll find online or even through conversation.
If you want to understand yourself better, to reconnect with your own thoughts, and even to find a sense of inner peace, there’s something profound waiting for you in running. It’s a tool that, ironically, becomes less boring the more you embrace it. Each run becomes an exploration, not just of distance but of who you are when there’s no one else around, nothing to distract you, and only the rhythm of your steps to guide you. Embrace the quiet, trust the process, and let running boredom help you discover the clarity and calm you’ve been craving.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy 🙂