On comfort zones and what to do with them

I am in a few online running groups and I read a great deal about comfort zones.  For many runners, the comfort zone seems to be a place that is safe and boringly predictable, something you need to get out of if you're going to progress.  A lot of people appear to hold the view that nothing meaningful ever happens in the comfort zone and that if they could only muster up the courage to step out of it, their running would reach a whole new level.

I'm not sure I agree with all of this.  For many of us, finding the comfort zone has been a long time coming. It can take a while to feel comfortable with going out to run, not feeling self-conscious about it. Getting to the point where it feels like a natural part of your routine and something you just do without having to think too much about it can be very positive. Having found that state of being, it is not surprising if we are not in a hurry to leave it behind.  After all, if it's not broken, why try and mend it? Is that approach so wrong?  Does it really matter if we stick to the same routes, the same pace, the same distance?  As for the view that nothing significant happens if you don't get out of your comfort zone, I beg to differ.  Sometimes it is on the most relaxed runs when I hit my best form.  Just letting go of the pressure and just going with the flow, focusing on enjoying yourself, can be incredibly productive. There are times in our lives when just turning up is an achievement in itself, being able to carry on when all sorts of other things try to get in the way. 

I suppose it depends on what you want to get out of running and of course we can want different things at different times. If you want to get faster or run longer distances, you probably do need to make some changes to your training routines, push yourself a bit harder, but if your goal is to just keep doing what you're doing, because it's good for your fitness, mental and physical, and it fits in nicely with everything else you're currently dealing with, then stay in that comfort zone.  In fact, don't just stay in it, absolutely relish it, inhabit it, make it your own and don't let others pressure you to get out of it.  The comfort zone isn't like some blank page in a book where nothing happens until you turn over.  Things are already happening there, things that are working for you. Comfort is a good thing and it's not just for softies, for lightweights.  It's perfectly OK to find security in routine, in the tried and tested, to get yourself into a place where you can keep showing up, without heroics, experiencing a bit of consistency in an ever-fluctuating world.

I have been questioning myself a bit too much lately, wondering if I ought to be more focused in my running. I see people who are deep into training for their spring marathons and it feels like right now I am just 'getting it done', the bare minimum and not really trying anything new. But I remind myself that I am 'wintering' and that's OK. I am still getting my regular fix of fresh air, endorphins and still burning calories, even if it is all about just keeping things ticking over at the moment. Winter never makes me want to spend hours outside in the cold. It makes me want to keep things short, to get it done and dusted without slipping over and then get home to warm up as soon as I can. The icy conditions make me naturally cautious. I know I will probably feel more motivated in spring. We will see.

Like so many things, it is of course a case of each to their own.  For those who strive on challenge, who enjoy pushing themselves to new limits, then you know what you have to do.  But if, like me, you're happy with a leisurely 5K a few times a week followed by coffee and toast at your favourite cafe, then that's fine too.  There are so many different ways to be a runner.  As with anything in life and not just running situations, whether you follow the 'road less travelled' or the same old loops, the important thing is to do it because it's right for you, because it's what you currently need, and only you get to decide that.