The Lies We Tell Ourselves on a Run – And Why We Believe Them Every Time

The Lies We Tell Ourselves on a Run

Running is full of little white lies. Not the kind that hurt anyone—just the ones we tell ourselves to make it through another mile, another hill, another breath. And honestly? We believe them every single time. These tiny fibs are what keep us going, because let’s be honest, without them, we’d probably never leave the house.

“I’ll take it easy today.”

Sure, maybe for the first few minutes. But then someone overtakes you, or your legs start feeling good, and suddenly you’re pushing the pace like you’re leading the Olympic final. The ‘easy’ run is now a full-fledged tempo session, and you’re gasping like a fish out of water. But hey, it felt easy for at least 45 seconds, so technically, the lie wasn’t entirely false.

“This hill doesn’t look that bad.”

Oh, but it is. It always is. Halfway up, your lungs are on fire, your calves feel like lead, and you start contemplating whether crawling might actually be a valid running technique. You swear you’ll never run this hill again, but deep down, you know you will. It’s like a toxic relationship—you hate it, but you keep coming back.

“I’ll just run to that next lamp post and then stop.”

And then you see another one. And another. And suddenly, your ‘just one more’ has turned into an accidental 5K, and your legs are staging a mutiny. But it’s fine, because each lamp post was definitely the last one.

“I’ll stretch properly when I get home.”

We all know how this ends. You walk through the door, grab some water, and immediately collapse onto the sofa. Stretching? Who has time for that? Fast forward to the next morning, and you’re hobbling around like a 90-year-old who wrestled a bear. You make a mental note to stretch next time—spoiler: you won’t.

“I don’t need water. I’ll be fine.”

Fast forward five miles, and you’d trade your soul for a sip of lukewarm tap water from a cracked plastic bottle. The mirage of an oasis appears in the distance, only to cruelly vanish when you realise it’s just another runner wearing a blue T-shirt. The regret is real, but will you bring water next time? Probably not.

“I’m never running this route again.”

Oh, but you will. Next week, same time, same place, with the same stubborn belief that it must feel easier by now.

“Just one more mile.”

The biggest lie of them all. One more mile turns into two, then three. Before you know it, you've added on an entire extra loop, convinced that ‘you might as well’ because you’re already out here. You’ll definitely regret it later, but for now, it makes perfect sense.

The truth is, running is as much about self-deception as it is about endurance. These little lies are what keep us going, keep us entertained, and sometimes, keep us sane. So next time you catch yourself saying, “Just one more mile,” remember—you’ve said that before, and yet, here you are, still running. And honestly? You wouldn’t have it any other way.

We want to hear from you! What lies do you tell yourself when you’re out on a run? Drop a comment below and share your best (or worst) self-deceptions! 🏃‍♂️😆