Jog On: How Running Saved My Life

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Getting people to go for a walk – going outside into daylight, among other people and in sight of trees and nature – is a great first step. This may be common sense, but it’s important to say it, and say it again. You can’t, or won’t, go on to exercise if you don’t, in some way, ‘feel better’ from that very first step.” So that was how I found myself, on a freezing cold February morning this year, running in my local park. It was dark, miserable and pouring with rain. As I jogged, years of stiffness and pain in my muscles, I kept thinking: “Zoe, if you can do this, if you can make it through how grim and horrible it feels right now, you can make it through anything.” Six months later, and I know it to be true: I have not just made it through, I have survived. Goods that by reason of their nature, cannot be returned - (Items such as underwear, where the 'hygiene patch' has been removed, or cosmetics where the seal has been broken). Alongside running, I have also become keen on living and eating more healthily. Using MyFitnessPal and Runkeeper apps and wearing a Fitbit has helped me to shift my focus to leading a more active life. As a result, I feel fitter than I have for years and I am almost 13kg (2st) lighter, which makes exercising easier.

After starting last summer, I would run with regular members and talk about my mum with those I’d come to know better. It helped me put my mind in the right place to face another day of caring for Mum before she passed away in October. A few days afterwards, I was running.The side notes of other peoples' stories, and stats and general development of science of mind and body needing to be in sync was really good but yes, I didn't really enjoy it. I also feel that there were bits glossed out on - about food, about her strength training, all alluded to in a few sentences and then moved on. This may reflect the fact that many people still see exercise as a chore. Although our perception of exercise is formed in childhood, 2017 statistics from Public Health England found that, by the final year of primary school, just 17% of children were doing the recommended amount of daily exercise.

These common problems often surface early in life; roughly three children in every school classroom have a diagnosable mental health issue, according to CAMHS, the NHS’s child and adolescent mental health service. In fact, three quarters of all mental health issues are established before someone reaches 24. I’m still giving it four stars though as it was very well written, with lots of interesting statistics on how running and exercise really does improve your well being and written in a humorous way to lighten the statistics and research load. If you suffer from anxiety and are looking for something in your day to day life that will help change your mindset, then I’d strongly recommend this book. Running has been a positive force for just about everyone who's ever laced up a pair of running shoes. It makes us more productive, easier to live with, more apt to smile and less apt to sleep till noon on Sunday. We've come a long way; mental health is discussed more openly now than ever. It’s a sign of how much has changed for the better that everyone from the royal family to pop stars, actors, sports figures and celebrities have been willing to talk about their demons.

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While running outside in the country, I feel grounded and very much in the present; I focus solely on running. I like to concentrate on my breathing and fall into a rhythm as I move forward; that’s very relaxing. I’m sure running has helped me process my feelings after Mum’s passing. I was nervous about joining. But I went along to the cafe hub where the group meet. I heard the laughter coming from them after their run. The support was almost tangible, and I realised I wanted to be part of it. I joined one of their Walk2Run sessions. From walking slowly, I began to run. I was soon going three times a week, along with runs on my own. Last spring, I ran the Hastings Half Marathon. I listened to the audiobook of this, which is narrated by the author, and really enjoyed this format. It was engaging, interesting, educational, honest and at times, quite funny. The author has been through a lot and she never sugar coated things or pretended they were easier than they were. But, it also wasn’t a sob story. She found the perfect balance between talking about challenges and hard times, and giving hope for the future.