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The original was posted on /r/running by /u/thenetherrealm on 2025-06-18 22:16:50+00:00.

So, for context, 32M. Started running 2 years ago, stopped after 3 months. 1 year ago, stopped again after 4 months. Around February/March this year I restarted for the third time, and I’m starting to enjoy it for once! Plan is to do a 5k race every 4-6 weeks to keep me motivated. However, what I’m starting to realise is I’m just feeling perpetually… underwhelmed? Disappointed? I don’t know the right term.

Regardless of how much I improve, I just can’t feel happy about it. When I started back running in February, I was doing a 28 minute 5k. By my first race in May, I was down to 24:56. My PB from 2024 was 24:32, so I wasn’t happy with that. I started training properly (intervals, etc. which I had never done) with the goal of going sub 24 by my next race in late June. I got 23:18, well under my target… and I was just disappointed I didn’t get sub-23. Everyone was celebrating, people delighted going sub 30, sub 28 etc. and I was just there being like “right, not good enough. Sub 22:30 by July race”.

Set a goal, beat it, be disappointed, set new goal.

It’s a cycle, and I just want to know is it typical? Do you ever feel content with your running? Or is it always “must do better”? I don’t mind it, I just thought I’d feel happy with each milestone and I don’t.