How often do I walk or run? I walk every day. Not for as long as I should, which I am changing, but I do walk every day usually about 5,000 steps sometimes more. I used to run every other day, between 5k and 8k, but injury stopped me…and I miss it.
In 2017 I had a head injury that brought on depression and anxiety, two things I had never previously suffered from. It took me a long time to get things sorted for the impact of my injury, but I was advised in 2019 that running was the best thing for depression. Intrigued, I did some research which showed that the ‘runner’s high’ is a real thing and is caused by the body creating its own form of cannabis (I can’t remember the exact technical name) which helps to offset depression. I started by using the Couch 2 5K app which was amazing, and I loved Sarah Millican’s Geordie accent encouraging me on.
Every other day I got up super early in the morning. At first I ran around the farm fields so no one would see me then as I progressed on the app and grew in confidence, I ventured onto the streets. I loved seeing nature wake up. I completed the 8 week programme and just continued to run, improving my time as well as having longer weekend runs gradually increasing the distance. Even in the dead of winter, I was getting up at 5.30am to go on my 45 minute run. I loved the feeling after of having completed it. Then, I got injured and the routine I had fallen into began to slide until I stopped running altogether. I miss it, and I miss how I felt at the end of each run. I want to start again, I keep telling myself I will but I don’t quite seem to manage it.
Having had a heart attack recently, I am naturally concerned that running might not be the thing for me to do. I have been reassured that I will be able to do it again, but for now I need to settle with walking. Getting up to 30 minutes a day at least and reaching that 10,000 steps is the ultimate aim. A combination of menopause, stress, depression, lack of money has meant I have gained a significant amount of weight. I have had many false dawns on trying to lose it, and I am also reluctant to inject myself with a relatively unknown combination of chemicals to lose the weight if I am honest.
So, it’s walking every day further than I do currently and for longer to build up into running again. Any form of exercise is good for mental health, and it’s time I started to get serious about both. If the side effect of that is weight loss then so much the better. Though I am very aware that equally has a lot to do with my eating habits!
In short, I do walk and will do so for longer and further. I don’t run currently, but I will return to it again. It’s all part of the plan for the future!
Louisa Simpson 