Run to beat stress

There’s no hiding from it, life can be really stressful. Whether it’s looming deadlines or a packed diary that’s getting to you, Bethan Taylor thinks she has the secret: show your soul some love and run to beat stress.

Me time

It can be tough to get out and exercise when things are tough, but there are lots of good reasons why you should get your trainers on. ‘Running lifts your mood,’ says life coach Liz Goodchild. ‘We’ve all heard of the feel-good ‘runner’s high’ hormones, and there’s science to prove it! 30 minutes of running, three to four times a week, has been proven to boost mood, sleep quality, concentration and relieve depression and anxiety.’ Liz goes on to explain that ‘running provides time to yourself, to listen to music, your favourite podcast, an audio book, or perhaps listen in to the environment around you; the wind whistling and the leaves crunching under your feet. Just 45 minutes a day of ‘me’ time encourages feelings of happiness and relaxation, and reduces overwhelm and stress.’ As coach Nina Anderson puts it: ‘When you train, the focus changes and it’s easier to switch off from the stresses of everyday life.’

Take control

Nina explains that ‘there’s so much in our daily lives that is out of our control and can often make us feel frustrated. By going for a run you’re taking charge of what you’re doing at that moment in time and in itself that can be very empowering.’ Liz supports this idea: ‘Running provides emotional and spiritual strength and helps people deepen their relationships with themselves. A 20-mile training run can kick up a multitude of physical challenges, yet the mental hurdles are often the worst to contend with, specifically the all-encompassing desire to just STOP. It’s a beautifully refreshing feeling to know that you’ve challenged yourself while out running.’ Running can be an awesome reminder of what you’re capable of, even in the toughest circumstances.

Want to take running as stress relief to the next level? According to psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher Cecilia Hazlerigg, ‘meditating on the move, by running with mindful awareness, is a great way to tame the mind…by bringing mediative practice in to your movement, you’re likely to find a healthier (safer, and injury preventing) way to run that’s more enjoyable, and which gets you better results for body, mind and soul.’ Sounds like running nirvana to us!

Be mindful

So how do you ‘run mindfully’? Cecilia, who contributes to PUSH Mind & Body’s unique retreats, explains that the first step towards mindful running is to ‘bring your attention to your breath, and seek to run in sync with it. By moving in a breathing-centerer way, we’re able to reconnect with our bodies more fully, in order to move more efficiently.’ It’s fair to say that running can feel like you’re battling with your body, but Cecilia comments that ‘tuning into your body more fully will enable you to discern the clues it naturally gives as to how to move more naturally, and easily.’ She goes on to explain that when running mindfully you should ‘begin by observing your footsteps; listen to them and work to shorten your stride. This will reduce bouncing and pounding, minimising the wasted effort and potential joint damage. Pay attention to posture by picturing a thread pulling upwards through your head…the taller you run the lighter you’ll run, with less stress on your shoulders, back and knees.’ Running with less effort and stress? Sign us up! But as Cecilia points out, ‘although running mindfully might enable us to run faster for longer, this is an added bonus rather than the aim of the game.’ The real aim of mindful running is to ‘give ourselves the chance for greater clarity, compassion and connection with which it’s possible to discover improvement in all areas of our lives.’

Running is more than a way to get fit, it’s our secret weapon for dealing with modern life, and it should be yours too.