Running to Cope in the COVID era

I haven’t blogged for a while because I didn’t want to keep on blogging for the sake of it with nothing new to say - and, well, I can say that there hasn’t been much new for me since March last year, for the obvious reasons! But recently a few people who came across my blog have commented on how they enjoyed it. I thought hard about it and I think it’s time again to put pen to paper (or key to laptop in this case) and tackle the very topical subject that is COVID. Mainly because frankly, in the middle of various lockdowns, home schooling, work restructuring and starting a new job, this last year has been a bit of a bumpy ride and running is what has kept me sane. In fact, I probably ran more and better over the past 12 months than ever.

Running has been an outlet, but also the only bit of normality that was allowed and finally, the ONE thing I felt I had control over. I had a running plan and I just stuck to it. There was no uncertainty in it, whatever was in the plan, I did. That came with huge benefits to my mental health, and it acted as balance to whatever the world was throwing at us, but also to my physical health. As a result of still showing up everyday and logging the miles, I became stronger and I started to run faster. In September 2020, when there was a brief ray of sunshine and we thought the worst was over, I ran the Kew Gardens 10k and bagged a PB in 46:31. I did a timed race again on Halloween Day with Phoenix Running at the Denbies Wine Estate but used it more as a training run and it was rather hilly… But all these achievements in turn filled my mind with gratitude and positivity.

2020…

So why am I writing all this? My point is that I want to emphasize the huge benefits of exercise, and running in particular. One main advantage of running has been reinforced by the various lockdowns: it doesn’t require access to a gym or any equipment besides a pair of trainers (unless you have to self-isolate of course, in which case a treadmill comes in handy).

Also, I found I was craving fresh air during lockdown and exercising was one of the only permissible reasons to get out, which I found made it so much easier to find motivation. Admittedly I could have walked instead, but thankfully in the UK we were not restricted in terms of mileage from home, and just think how much further you can explore if you’re running for an hour instead of walking. And remember the famous runner high. Another point for running!

Finally, a large-scale study conducted in the US and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that consistently meeting exercise guidelines (150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity) was strongly associated with a reduced odds for severe COVID-19 among infected adults. Even with vaccinations well underway, it makes for a pretty compelling incentive to start exercising today instead of tomorrow.

So if you have managed to stick to your running goals during the pandemic, well done! I would love to hear how you managed to stay motivated through the ups and downs. And if you fell off the exercise wagon or never got started in the first place, go on, lace up your shoes today and give it a try. Or reach out if you would like some tips to get you started. In any case, I’ve never heard anyone say they felt worse after going for a run (unless injured, obviously!).

Just remember to be considerate whilst running and leave plenty of space when passing people as long as social-distancing rules apply!

Happy running!