Running for Wellbeing

I have completed a 27.2 mile run!

What an awesome experince. And one full of thoughts. Where to start?

I have been enjoying regular weekly running for 6 of the last 8 years (with a knee injury and pandemic gap). Last year I managed a couple of longer runs, going past 10 miles. This was an awesome achievement and something I was really happy with. I began to think about pushing towards that 12.1 half marathon distance. Then towards the end of 2024, I ran over 12.1 miles three times and ended the year with a 16 mile run, my furthest at the time; an achievement I was very pleased with.

Running has always been something I have enjoyed and been reasonable to good at. I'm not particularly fast anymore, but I'm prepared to work hard and put in the time and effort. Running is something that allows me headspace, time to reflect, to think, consider, sometimes spiral a little but a podcast or music quickly refocus me. While I guess I'm not technically physically moving forward (on a treadmill), I'm doing the running/ moving motion and that does help process and move through some of those things that can cycle in my head. My job increasingly involves time at a desk, so getting up and moving is hugely valuable for my physical health as well. It's an opportunity to move, to breath, and breath deeply. Thats supporting and improving my lung and heart health. Something increasingly important as I want to keep up with our 1 year old.

While looking for this year's running challenge I liked the idea of completing a virtual marathon, which I planned to do over two runs (running 12.1 miles or more each run). I found three, and signed up. The first virtual marathon, which happened in the week leading up to the Tokyo Marathon went really well. Too well. My two runs consisted of a 13 mile run and a 20 mile run. Amazing right? Yes, but... 20 miles! So "just" 6 miles short of the full distance in one run. This started a dangerous thought process; could I do the full 26.2 miles in one run?

I remember clearly a conversation with a friend in late 2024, saying "I think maybe I'd like to run a half marathon, but I definitely couldn't run a full marathon". Now here I was, just a few months later, considering it.

Running is something that hugely supports my wellbeing, and has helped me to continue to manage my depressive and anxious mind. I think that's something that helps with the motivation, I do enjoy running and the endorphins fuelled feeling after, but I also know, running is important to/ for me (and my mental as well as physical health). This is helping me be mentally and physically ok. And that's all pretty important when your alarm goes off at 4.10am on a Sunday. Getting up early means I can get my run in before Laura goes to church and I take over lead parenting. Wanting to run further, and so for longer, means getting up even earlier. What I have begun to enjoy about this initially ridiculous wake up time is that the gym is near empty when I go in, and I get a solid hour plus before theres more than 5 other people in the gym. I mention the gym because since 2022 over 90% of my running is done on the treadmill. Thank goodness for 24/7 gyms!

Running on the treadmill can at times be boring, for sure. But it has provided a few essential things for me that make it hard to leave now. Initially it was a steady, stable safe surface to run on after being injured. I also had the back up of if I did need to stop I wasn't actually that far from home. Now, I enjoy the luxury of not having to carry my drink or phone while running, there being no up and down on curbs, stopping for traffic and having a toilet nearby for the occasional mid-run break. Plus the air con in the summer!

There is the down side of staring at a wall for multiple hours, missing out on roaming across different spaces, places and views; actually going somewhere. It for sure is a different mental challenege. I dont think... one is harder than the other, it's just very different. Both have very different mental challeneges, but are still equally challeneging. The gym/ treadmill is though definitely the easier physical challenge because of that steady and safe surface; thats why I started running on the treadmill, having previously always ran outside.

Running, maybe not 27 miles, but running, walking, jogging, pushing a couple of miles is something I believe, and know, really can improve our wellbeing and mental health management. Im going to link a few pages I have read below that talk about the benefits of running in greater detail and with more knowledge than I have; because there's some science things going on. One insight and quote I felt was particularly relevant was “Exercise has a dramatic anti-depressive effect... It blunts the brain’s response to physical and emotional stress" says David Linden. Definatley something I have felt the beeifits of as someone with a depressive mind, and previously severe depression.

I have also read some interesting articles about marathon tourism, including this article published by GQ, How 'marathon tourism' replaced the mates city break. It's so interesting to see this different approach to something that, to me at least, seemed reserved for elite athletes and those with super determination and loads of training. Now maybe more of us are living healthier lifes(?) and incorporating a full or half marathon into our holiday, trip, week is more appealing and possible?

I'm not sure about that. What I do know is, I see more and more people I follow talking about and sharing their running experiences, challenges and achievements. In part that is because of who I follow, but I am increasingly seeing people that never or very very rarely ran, now with their trainers on hitting the pavements and paths. Hopefully a sign of many more happier healthier lives, with well managed mental wellbeing.

I am still amazed. I did it! I did record my times, 5 hours and 8 minutes running, with between 30-40 minutes stopping, streaching, kneeling, drinking. So something under 5.48 as a total. Im please I kept under 6 hours, but really it was just a "can I do it" challenge. And I did! Wow!

So chuffed. Now... should I do it in one again for the third virtual marathon later this year? It's definitely a consideration.

If you are interested in finding your own virtual running challenege here's where I found mine.

Blogger's note: This post does not include sponsored content. None of the services, projects, campaigns or charities mentioned have seen this post before it is published, nor have they instructed me on what to say. The views, experiences, thoughts and insights expressed in this post are my own. The links included are direct web links and are not affiliate links.

Additional links and signposting