Goal Paralysis: When Motivation Vanishes

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we lace up for the Spencer C. Duncan “Make It Count” 5K in Gardner, KS — a powerful community event that honors a fallen hero and reminds us why we run. But after crossing that finish line, we shift gears and talk about something a little heavier: what happens when we sign up for a big, exciting goal… and then totally freeze. Yep, we’re talking goal paralysis — that weird brain loop where motivation vanishes and the training plan becomes a ghost you’re afraid to open. Host Kyle shares his own story of signing up for his first 50-miler (and immediately pretending it didn’t happen), and dives into the psychology behind why runners sometimes stall out after the sign-up high fades. From perfectionism to fear of failure, we break it down in real, relatable terms — and offer practical tips to break the freeze and get moving again. This one’s for anyone who’s ever looked at their race calendar and thought: “What have I done?”