How Mental Health Impacts My half-marathon Training as a bariatric patient
For a long time, I thought training was supposed to look the same no matter what was happening in my life. Follow the plan. Hit the miles. Push through.
But the longer I’ve been a runner—and the more honest I’ve become with myself—the clearer it is that mental health directly impacts my training. Not occasionally. Not dramatically. Every single day.
This post isn’t about excuses or quitting. It’s about reality, compassion, and learning how to train with my mental health instead of constantly fighting it.
Mental Health Is Part of Training (Whether We Admit It or Not)
We talk a lot about physical readiness in running:
- Mileage
- Pace
- Strength
- Recovery
But mental readiness often gets ignored—especially in endurance sports.
Anxiety, depression, burnout, stress, and emotional overload don’t stay neatly separated from training. They show up in motivation, sleep, energy levels, focus, and even how the body responds to effort.
For me, training and mental health are inseparable.
What Training Looks Like on Good Mental Health Days
On days when my mental health is steady, training feels lighter—even when it’s hard.
I can:
- Follow a plan without obsessing over it
- Trust my body’s cues
- Recover more effectively
- Show up with curiosity instead of pressure
Effort feels proportional. Fatigue feels earned. Progress feels possible.
These are the days people usually see—and assume they’re the norm.
They’re not.
What Training Looks Like When Mental Health Is Struggling
When my mental health dips, training changes—sometimes dramatically.
On those days:
- Motivation disappears
- Sleep is disrupted
- Anxiety amplifies physical discomfort
- Easy runs feel hard for no obvious reason
I’ve had days where putting on my shoes felt heavier than the run itself.
And here’s the important part: that doesn’t mean I’m weak or undisciplined. It means my nervous system is overloaded.
Mental health struggles don’t make training impossible—but they do make it different.
Anxiety, Depression, and the Nervous System
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that training is deeply connected to the nervous system.
When anxiety is high:
- Heart rate spikes faster
- Breathing feels shallow
- Effort feels harder than it should
When depression is present:
- Energy is lower
- Movement feels heavier
- Recovery takes longer
These are physiological responses, not mindset failures.
Understanding this helped me stop shaming myself for “bad runs” and start responding with adjustment instead.
How I Adapt My Training for Mental Health
Instead of forcing consistency at all costs, I’ve learned to adapt.
1. I Redefine “Success”
Some days, success is finishing a workout.
Other days, success is starting—and stopping early.
And sometimes, success is resting without guilt.
2. I Loosen My Grip on the Plan
Plans are tools, not contracts. Mental health fluctuations require flexibility, not punishment.
3. I Choose Movement Over Metrics
On hard mental health days, I focus on:
- Time outside
- Gentle movement
- Breathing
- Being present
Not pace. Not distance. Not numbers.
4. I Stop Interpreting Everything as Regression
A hard week mentally does not erase months of physical progress. Training adaptations don’t disappear overnight.
Running Helps My Mental Health—But It’s Not a Cure
Running supports my mental health. It does not replace therapy, medication, rest, or boundaries.
Movement can:
- Regulate emotions
- Reduce anxiety
- Provide routine
- Offer perspective
But running cannot—and should not—carry the full responsibility of mental health care.
Sometimes the healthiest training decision is stepping back, not pushing forward.
The Pressure to “Be Strong” in Running Culture
There’s a quiet expectation in running culture to be resilient at all costs. To power through. To toughen up.
That mindset can be dangerous.
Ignoring mental health in training doesn’t make you stronger—it makes burnout more likely. Sustainable training requires emotional honesty, not constant toughness.
Strength looks different in different seasons.
What I Want Other Runners to Know
If your mental health impacts your training, you are not failing.
You are human.
Your worth as a runner is not measured by:
- Perfect weeks
- Unbroken streaks
- Constant motivation
It’s measured by your willingness to listen, adapt, and keep showing up in ways that honor your whole self—not just your physical body.
Why I Talk About This Openly
I talk about mental health and training because I wish I had seen more of it when I started.
More honesty.
More nuance.
Less pressure to pretend everything is fine.
Training doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Life shows up on the run with us—every time.
And learning how to run with mental health, instead of against it, has been one of the most important parts of my journey.
If you’re interested in learning more about Still I Run, the community exists to remind runners that they’re never alone, head here to become part of the community.
If This Sounds Like Your Experience Too
You’re not behind.
You’re not broken.
You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re training in a real body, with a real brain, in a real life.
And that counts.
💛
— Bariatric Runner Mom
Pin this post for later if you’re running after weight loss surgery or navigating mental health while training.
