Jordan had tried to build a running habit 4 times. Four training plans. Four failures. This time, Lound helped them understand why, and find motivation that actually stuck.
Jordan, 31, has a half-marathon on their bucket list. They've downloaded Couch to 5K three times. Bought new running shoes twice. Started strong each time. And each time, somewhere around week 4, they just... stopped.
The race is in 16 weeks. Jordan decides to use Lound not to track runs, but to understand why they keep quitting.
"Week 1, day 1. Again. I've done this before. Part of me already feels like I'm going to fail. But I ran 2 miles this morning and it felt... fine? Maybe this time will be different."
"Skipped today. Work was insane. I told myself I'd go after dinner but then I just... didn't. I know I should feel guilty. I do feel guilty. But also too tired to feel guilty? God, I'm already messing this up."
"Missed three days this week. I keep saying 'I'll make it up' but I never do. The voice in my head is brutal. 'You always quit. Why would this time be different?' Maybe it's right."
I notice a pattern in how you talk about running. Words like "should," "guilty," "messing up," "quit." You're motivating yourself with shame. Here's the thing: shame is terrible fuel. It gets you started, but it always burns out. What made you want to run in the first place, before the guilt?
Why do I actually want to run? I don't know anymore. Maybe I don't.
Let me share something. Two months ago, you recorded an entry after a hike with your sister. You said the feeling at the top was "the clearest my head has been in months." You mentioned wanting more of that.
The hike with Sarah
Aug 15 · "Clearest my head has been in months..."
I forgot about that. That was a good day.
What if running isn't about proving you're not a quitter? What if it's about chasing that feeling? The clear head. The version of yourself that can breathe.
Not "I should run today or I'm a failure." But "I wonder if I can find that feeling again."
That's... a completely different frame. Less pressure. More curiosity.
"Ran 3 miles this morning. But here's the thing: I didn't go because I 'should.' I went because yesterday sucked and I wanted to feel different. And... it worked? About mile 2 my brain finally shut up. That's what I'm chasing. Not a medal. That quiet."
You've been talking about "the quiet" a lot lately. You found it on 7 of your last 10 runs. That's not discipline. That's you learning what you actually need. Keep going.
Jordan didn't need more willpower. They needed a different reason to run.
That hike from months ago. The "clear head" feeling. Jordan had forgotten. Lound hadn't.
From "prove I'm not a quitter" to "find the quiet." Same runs, completely different energy.
Not miles logged. Moments of mental clarity. That's what actually matters.
Jordan finished the half-marathon. Not their fastest time, but they didn't care. Somewhere around mile 10, when their legs were screaming and their brain wanted to quit, they found the quiet. And they kept running toward it. The medal sits on their desk, but the real trophy is knowing they can find that feeling whenever they need it.
Maybe the habit isn't the problem. Maybe the motivation is. Lound helps you find what actually drives you, beyond the guilt and "should."