Good Effort, Positive Attitude: A Trail Running Guide for When Life Feels Out of Control

I’ve been hearing it a lot lately.

“I feel behind all the time.”

“I can’t find the energy.”

“Everything feels hard right now.”

“I should be doing more.”

And I get it. Life is heavy. The world feels like it’s on fire. And on top of it, you’re trying to fit in your training, eat something besides snacks out of your kid’s lunchbox, and not collapse into bed feeling like you failed at it all.

I’ve been there too. And here’s the thing that’s kept me steady through all of it, both on the trail and in real life:

Good effort. Positive attitude.

Not as a bumper sticker. Not as blind optimism. But as a practice.

Trail Running Teaches Us What We Can Control

Trail running is a masterclass in controllables. The climb will always be the climb. The rocks don’t move just because you are tired. The weather doesn’t care what your training plan says.

You don’t control the trail. But you do control how you move through it. And that skill transfers off the trail too.

Why Effort Is Always Yours (Time on Feet, Not Mileage)

Effort is one of the most honest things you own.

And effort doesn’t mean mileage... it means time on feet. It means showing up with what you’ve got today. Sometimes that’s three hours on the trails. Sometimes it’s thirty minutes around the neighborhood before dinner. Sometimes it’s walking the dog when you can’t handle a run.

Good effort is doing what you can with what you have. And that’s always enough.

Attitude Is the Trail Runner’s Secret Weapon

Your attitude won’t change the climb. But it will change how you handle it.

This doesn’t mean be positive all the time (aka toxic positivity). It means you choose your lens. You can decide:

• “I’m so slow, this isn’t worth it.”or

• “I showed up, and that matters.”

  
  

One makes you quit. The other keeps you moving.

Attitude is not about pretending things aren’t hard. It’s about refusing to let the hard stuff decide who you are.

What You Can Actually Control in Training and Life

When everything feels out of control, zoom in on what you can.

• Actions: Moving your body, fueling with something that helps instead of numbs, getting outside even if it’s five minutes.

• Reactions: Not snapping at your kids when you’re fried. Choosing not to argue with that coworker who pushes your buttons.

• Words: Talking to yourself like an athlete in training, not like your worst critic.

• Boundaries: Protecting your bedtime. Deciding who you run with (or don’t). Charging your phone in the kitchen so scrolling doesn’t steal your recovery.

  
  

None of this fixes the chaos out there. But it gives you a way through it.

What I Hear From Women Trail Runners

One athlete told me: “I'm not able to do the mileage everyone else is doing. I feel like I’ll never be ready.”

My answer: it’s not about mileage. It’s about time on feet. Ninety minutes on the trail, steady effort, is better than stressing over hitting a number that doesn’t fit your life.

Another said: “I’m exhausted before I even start.”

We didn’t add more workouts. We worked on her bedtime. Because sleep is a controllable... and the most underrated performance tool you’ve got.

These aren’t excuses. They’re choices. And they add up.

The Trail Running Lens on Chaos and Control

Trail running teaches you not to waste energy on what you can’t change. You don’t yell at the rocks. You don’t wish the mud would dry. You don’t control the climb.

But you do control your next step.

That’s what good effort and positive attitude are all about. Not fixing the world. Just keeping you steady in it.

Your Turn: One Small Step, One Controllable

This week, pick one controllable. Just one.

• Trade one scroll for one walk.

• Trade one bag of chips for one snack that helps you recover.

• Trade one late night for lights out earlier.

  
  

Not because it’s perfect. Not because it’s everything.

But because it’s yours.

The Bottom Line

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to fix the world. You don’t need to run the perfect plan. You don’t need to do more just to prove you’re serious.

You need to show up with what you’ve got, today.You need to protect your energy where you can.You need to remember that your effort and your attitude are always yours.

That’s how you build strength. That’s how you stay steady when everything else feels chaotic.

Because trail running, and life, aren’t about being in control of everything. They’re about being in control of yourself in the middle of it.

So when you’re stuck, when the heaviness hits, when you feel behind... come back here:

Good effort. Positive attitude. 💛🧡🏔️