If you haven’t read the first 2 posts yet, start there. The first covers how running changed my mental health. The second breaks down why most running plans fail people who are struggling. This one picks up where those left off.
Most people who could benefit most from running are the least likely to feel like doing it.
That’s not a motivation problem. That’s not a discipline problem. That’s just how the brain works when it’s carrying grief, anxiety, or depression. And it’s exactly why the standard advice, just get out there and do it, misses the people who need movement the most.
This post is for those people.
Why Running Works
This isn’t about pace or race times. It’s about what running actually does to your brain chemistry and your sense of control when life is pressing in from every direction.
It gives your stress somewhere to go. When we’re under stress, the nervous system activates. Running is one of the most natural ways to discharge that. Your body already knows how to process movement. You’re just giving it the outlet it’s been looking for.
It targets the same pathways as antidepressants. This one matters. Running releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. That’s not a mindset trick. That’s biology. I have a degree in biology and I’ll tell you honestly, I didn’t realize this when I first started running. I found the benefits first and the science second. But the research is consistent and it’s clear.
Motivation follows action. It doesn’t lead it. If you’re waiting until you feel ready to start, it’s not going to happen that way. You don’t feel ready and then go. You go and then you start to feel different. That’s not just a coaching philosophy. That’s how the brain actually works when you’re dealing with depression or grief.
It gives you back your agency. Depression and anxiety are, at their core, experiences of powerlessness. Running, even a short run, even a run-walk, is a decision you made and followed through on. That evidence compounds. 5 minutes today becomes 10 next week. And your brain starts to register that you can do hard things.
It gets you out of your head. Running pulls your attention into your body. Your breath, your stride, the ground under your feet. For anyone carrying anxiety or intrusive thoughts, that shift in attention can be genuinely therapeutic. Not a cure. But a window.
How I Know This
If you read post 1, you know my story. I didn’t come to running through success. I came to it through survival.
There was a season after losing my mom where I was barely existing. Motivation wasn’t low. It was gone. My wife gave me an ultimatum and that was the catalyst I needed. I chose running almost on a whim. I had no idea what it was going to do for me.
But being outside, spending time in prayer, finding a community, getting those endorphins and dopamines and serotonin releases, it slowly brought me back. The darkness lifted. Not all at once. But it lifted.
I started this journey in 5/2012. Next month will be 14 years. And the things I teach, I teach because I’ve lived them.
How to Actually Start
Don’t wait until you feel ready. Here’s a realistic way in.
Start with 5 minutes. Not a program. Not a plan. Just 5 minutes. Walk out your front door and come back. That’s it. The goal at the beginning isn’t fitness. It’s showing up.
From there, add time slowly. Every 2 weeks, add 5 minutes. By the end of 3 months you’ve worked up to 30 minutes a day without it ever feeling like a massive shift. That’s over 2 and a half hours a week you’ve carved out for yourself.
Use a run-walk approach. Walk for a bit, run for a bit, repeat. There’s no shame in it. That’s how I started. It doesn’t have to be complex. Run to the next light post, walk to the one after that. Build from there.
Put it on your schedule, not your to-do list. To-do lists get pushed. Scheduled time gets protected. Same time each day if you can manage it. Your body and your mind get used to it and the resistance drops.
Slow down more than you think you need to. Your easy pace should be conversational. If you can’t get a sentence out, you’re going too fast. Most beginners start too hard and burn out by week 2. Slow is sustainable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These aren’t character flaws. They’re just patterns. And patterns can change.
- Starting too fast and burning out by week 2.
- Skipping a day and deciding the whole thing is ruined.
- Measuring success by pace or distance instead of consistency.
- Going it alone when community would carry you further.
- Letting one hard week become a belief that you’re not a runner.
A bad day doesn’t mean a bad week. A bad week doesn’t mean you’re not a runner. It just means you had a hard week. Start again the next day.
And on the community piece, I’ll say this plainly. Isolation kills consistency. Whether it’s a local group run or just someone checking in on you, having people around you makes a real difference. COMMUNITY is my word of the year for 2026 for a reason.
If you’d rather listen than read, I covered all of this in Episode 3 of Stronger Than the Struggle, my podcast on faith, running, and mental health. You can catch it on Spotify or browse all the episodes at the podcast page.
Next up, I’m breaking down how to build a training plan around your real life, not the life you wish you had.
And if any of this resonated with you, you don’t have to figure it out alone. If you’re ready to talk, head over to the services page and let’s see what makes sense for where you’re at.