You want to be happy?

A couple of weeks back a number of bloggers and journalist were fortunate enough to be invited to meet the great Haile Gebrselassie. Haile has set several world records and has won a great number of marathons such as Amsterdam, Berlin (4 times), Dubai (3 times) and Fukuoka. It has also been announced that he will pace the elite field of the London 2014 marathon for the first 30k at world record pace.

He is clearly an elite runner who has made an amazing career out of running. Running is his profession whereas for most of us it is just our hobby. Yet although he runs very competitively I was surprised to read that he recognises the effects running has on the mind. The Women’s running editor who met Haile quoted him as saying:

“Don’t just run for weight loss, 20 per cent of it might be for weight loss, but you should run to get fit. What I mean by “get fit” is mental fitness. Run for mental fitness.”

I believe that the positive effect running (or any sport) can have on mental health needs to be more widely talked about. People are aware that running temporarily can release endorphins but I don’t think they are aware that regular exercise can stabilise your mood even on days you don’t run. I have been struggling with low mood for the last 10 years or so. I have tried a number of methods to try and stabilise my mood. Unfortunately nothing quite worked for me. Since I started running regularly two years ago the ‘down times’ are much less frequent and I wake every morning with a much more positive mind set. I wish someone had told me years ago about running. However if you want to run to improve your mental health you need to run regularly. I believe 4-5 times a week is best even if it is for short durations. You don’t necessarily need to run. There are plenty of other sports out there which get your heart pumping.   

Lazygirlrunning wrote about her encounter with Haile on her blog. Haile said to her:

“Running is everything. It’s the best medicine. It makes you fit in your mind and helps you with stress. When you get back from your run you have a shower, but you’ve already had a shower in here [points to head].”

You want to be happy? Get out there and run!!! 

I can’t run

Running has had a huge impact on my life and has made me a much happier and well-rounded person. Therefore I am keen to encourage other people to give running a try and tell them about the positive effect it has not just on the body but also on the mind. 

However often people reply that they can’t run. They just can’t run. I am amazed how often I hear this from healthy friends. Running is probably one of the simplest sports there is. You don’t need to learn a technique like with swimming, you don’t need any special equipment and you don’t need to go to a pool. You just need some clothes and shoes. (When running longer distances proper running shoes are of course good.) And as long as you know how to walk and don’t have any serious physical condition you should be able to run. I am amazed how many people there are who won’t even consider giving running a try.

Saying this, although running is a simple sport it is also very hard to get started. I still remember going on my first run, having to walk several times to finish the 20 minute loop I wanted to run. It was hard. Very hard. I did not enjoy myself much while out there but I felt good afterwards for having gone for a run. Often people think that you are either born sporty or not. That it is in your genes if you are going to enjoy exercise or not. The thing is that if you haven’t done much exercise lately you cannot expect running to be easy. Your body is habit driven and if it hasn’t been running you will have to get it used to running and build the muscles first. The beautiful thing is that the more you go running the easier it will become. So if you have gone for one run and have decided that running is not for you because it is too hard then preserver! A very crucial thing here is to avoid the all or nothing approach. Don’t try to run 5 km on your first run and don’t be afraid to stop. It’s better you start running a short distance a few time a week than trying to run too far too often and stopping after a week or two because you’re not enjoying it. Persistence is key here. And don’t forget it will get easier. I was never a sporty child and hated PE or any physical activity. My brother was the sporty one in our family, not me. Now I love running and I am amazed that I have recently even started to enjoy really hard interval training. I used to hate it.

One thing which helps to get started with running is having a good reason why you run or a goal to aim for. It will be hard and reminding yourself why you want to go out running helps to keep at it. I am person who loves challenges and the possibility to challenge myself to run further every couple of weeks kept me going. I never thought I was able to run these distance until I did. I also really enjoy running races. Running in the middle of closed streets with people cheering you on will keep you coming back for more!

Run as far as you want to, run as slow as you want to, stop as often as you want to but get out there! You will not regret it!

Give running a try. It is a very beautiful thing. I wish someone had told me years ago about how running can change your life. It is hard to get started but preserver. All good things in this world need effort and hard work.

Running together

When I first started running I ran by myself. I never thought about running with other people. As an introvert I really enjoy my time alone out on the trails.

However my husband and I recently moved and I have joined a running club in the town we live in now. I was nervous before my first session as I wasn’t sure what to expect. I needn’t have worried. Runners are such a friendly bunch of people. I usually dread interval training and other fast paced work outs. But I discovered that running with others makes the harder sessions so much more enjoyable.  And I push myself so much harder if there is someone else running next to me at a faster pace. And I love chatting to the other runners afterwards, talking about how hard the session was, sharing a cup of tea. I have realised what a friendly community runners are.

I have also noticed that running somehow makes you feel closer to the people you run with. Every Sunday morning I run around 10-14 miles with two others from my running club. Even though I hardly know them and we don’t talk much while running I have grown really fond of them. I love getting up early on Sunday with hardly anyone around, just hearing the birds chirping and our foot fall. Running down the street together. A perfect Sunday morning.

My dad is also a runner and is probably the reason I chose running as the sport of choice to get fit two years ago. I love my dad but there have been times when our relationship wasn’t great. My dad is a man of very few words and I often interpreted that as him not being interested in me and my life. As I now live abroad I don’t see my parents that often. About a year ago when I went home to visit them I joined my dad for a run which turned into a 2 hour run through fields and forests. We didn’t talk much at first. After some time he slowly started opening up telling me about the time he lived abroad in his twenties. Stories of his life he has never told me before. I absolutely loved it. I never knew that my dad actually ran an Ultramarathon in Rhodesia!! I felt like I discovered a whole new side to my dad. Since then, every time I visit my parents, I will try and make time to go running with my dad. I love spending time with my dad running and have probably never been as close to my dad as I am now.

I love running.