10 Things Running Can Teach You About Mental Health
- Andy Wright
- Dec 2, 2020
- 7 min read
For most of my life, I have been a runner. Not as a competitive athlete but as a way of taking care of myself. When I was younger, I ran to keep myself physically fit and therefore my focus was all about times and/or distances. However, in middle age, with most of my best records behind me, running has evolved into something much more important.
Today, I run for my mental health.
For me, running and wellbeing are inextricably linked. Hence, I was delighted when two friends asked me to join their (separate) running challenges this November - both to raise support for mental health charities.I signed up immediately and began a trial I had never attempted before: to run at least 5 km every day for a month.
For a seasoned runner, 5k-a-day doesn’t sound too daunting. However, I must confess I was surprised at the level of discipline required. Whilst poor weather, tired legs and dark evenings all provide excuses not to run, I found my greatest difficulty was making time in my ‘busy life’ to exercise every day. Thirty days and over 220km later, I was thankful for my first day off. However, I am more grateful for the opportunity to remind myself why so much of running is in the mind and why it is such a potent way to improve one’s happiness and resilience.
1. The Most Important Step is Getting Started. We all struggle with motivation sometimes. Even elite athletes have days when they don’t want to train. When energy is low, the difference between staying-in and setting-out is usually down to self-talk. The secret to success is mastering our inner voice that tries to justify taking the easy option. One method of achieving this is to acknowledge our low ebb and to convince ourselves to just get started with no expectation to go very far or very fast. The simple act of putting one-foot forwards begins to build momentum that can overcome mental blocks, and the removal of specific goals neutralises any fear of failure. In turn, this helps us to relax and forge ahead – often producing unexpected results to be proud of.
2. Make Time to Explore Unknown Territory. Running is a great way to explore. It provides easy access to fresh air, solitude and locations you might not visit routinely. If you run with your head up, no matter where or when you begin, you can always uncover variety and beauty within your surroundings. However, perhaps the greatest gift from running occurs when you forget time and allow yourself to wander. Not only to let your feet take you wherever they wish to go but also to escape all distractions and to reflect on your life in peace. Whilst exploring the physical world outside can reveal stunning panoramas, making time to explore the territory inside our own minds can realise more profound rewards. Author Haruki Murakami expresses this sensation perfectly, “I just run.I run in a void.Or maybe I should put it the other way: I run in order to acquire a void”.
3. The Less You Think About Speed, the Faster You Will Go. All great distance runners know the value of a negative split; which involves completing the second half of a race faster than the first half. Many amateurs learn this lesson the hard way. If you set off with speed on your mind, you are much more likely to burn-out quickly and struggle to finish. If, instead, you begin at a pace you know you can sustain, you will be surprised at how fast (or far) you actually run. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Pay attention to yourself and don’t think about reaching your destination quickly.If you follow this simple rule, you are much more likely to enjoy your journey and perform better.
4. Variety Drives Improvement. If all of your runs follow the same route at the same pace, you will find that your performance plateaus quickly and you will probably get bored. To continually improve, it is crucial that you step out of your ‘comfort zone’. Varying distance, terrain, gradient or pace all have a positive impact on your stamina, speed, strength and interest. Similarly, by deliberately seeking diverse and ‘uncomfortable’ challenges in your daily life, you will boost your skills, motivation and productivity significantly. Shake up your routine and set yourself new challenges to help you get stronger.
5. Rest is Vital. Building physical or mental capacity involves a balance of hard work and rest. It is impossible to improve if you work flat-out all the time. Whilst it is good to be active every day, pushing yourself to any limit, will make you feel tired. It is important to realise when you are at risk of exhaustion and to gear down or, if necessary, take a day off. If you thrash yourself when your body or mind are tired, you will never perform at your best. Moreover, you risk doing yourself harm that might put you out of action for a long time. Top performers always know when it is time to put their feet up after a hard session.
6.The Right Mindset Yields Chemical Rewards. Most people know that as you run, your body releases endorphins into your bloodstream. Endorphins reduce the perception of pain in your brain. As an extra kicker, they trigger a positive physical feeling (a bit like morphine). However, endorphins are just one of the happiness chemicals that running can trigger. Because finishing a run is an achievement, your body releases the reward chemical – dopamine. Dopamine makes us feel happy and drives motivation and enthusiasm – hence it is a key weapon to battle depression. Also, exercise and sunlight are both known to stimulate the release of serotonin, which helps to balance your mood, improve sleep and promote positive feelings. All of this means that, if you are having a bad day, heading outside for a run is one of the fastest ways to make you feel happier, more focussed and less stressed.
7. Distant Targets are Achieved Through Good Habits and Small Steps. At the beginning of any difficult challenge, the gulf between where you begin and where you hope to end can seem daunting. For example, running 150km in a month sounds like a long way.If you are not careful, spending too much time thinking about the ultimate objective can lead you to question your ability to achieve it. A better strategy is to consider the small steps that will ultimately lead to success. By forming a healthy routine of focussing on manageable daily goals, it is easier to establish a positive habit. Before you know it, the habit results in the accumulation of many small progressions. Furthermore, because each success builds your confidence, it becomes increasingly easy to surpass your small daily goals. Hence your habit begins to shape a trajectory that throws you beyond the target that seemed so distant in the beginning.
8. Support Means Strength. Have you ever heard a marathon runner say, “the crowd carried me for the last few miles”? For many runners, participating in front of spectators seems to un-tap some unrealised source of strength. Similarly, some runners find it easier to tackle long distances as part of a group. Others seek a ‘training partner’ to work towards specific goals. Regardless of the source, support it is a powerful catalyst for motivation when tackling difficult challenges. Although the UK lockdown made it hard for groups to gather this November, the internet of things (IoT) and social media allowed many groups to form online support networks. Whilst virtual cheerleading might not ring in our ears when we were working at our hardest, knowing that our team is right behind us continues to “carry us” when we feel weary.
9. Tough Challenges can Improve your Gratitude. Some years ago, a friend encouraged me to practice gratitude when I was running. At first, it seemed odd to feel thankful for tired legs and blisters. However, when I tried it, the value of the proposition became clear quickly. I realised that running is a privilege, and I was in danger of taking this simple, natural activity for granted. Injury aside, I have enjoyed the benefits of running for several decades. That is not true for a number of my friends and family. For some, chronic illness, disability or weight issues mean that running is impossible. For others, physical or mental scars mean that running is torture. Some are simply unable to run because they are no longer alive. That is why, when I feel myself flagging, I like to acknowledge how blessed I am. Whether you are at the most gruelling point of a marathon or negotiating one of life’s challenges, it is always worth taking a moment to be grateful for having the freedom and capacity to keep yourself moving forwards, where many others couldn’t.
10. It is Just About You. Notwithstanding the points above, for many people who wish to start exercising more, running has one of the lowest bars to entry. Aside from a pair of suitable shoes, you really only need yourself to get started. Once you have begun, unless you are an aspiring competitive athlete, the only person you will run against is yourself. However you can run with plenty of friends – some of whom you will find through running. Finally, whilst you are likely to concentrate on your pace, breathing and technique in your early outings, if you persevere you will inexorably reveal the true magic of running. Namely, that its greatest rewards are all in your mind.
If you enjoyed this post, please think about sharing it or commenting about how you build your inner strength from your exercise - it doesn't have to be about running.
Finally, if you would like to contribute to helping people who struggle with mental health, any support you can offer to TeamSalesforceMentalHealthUK will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
© All text belongs to - Andrew J Wright – Translating Service. The ideas and opinions expressed here are those of the author and are not endorsed by Salesforce.
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