Breathe Magazine
Keep on running by Jim Butler (2017)
Ask a random selection of friends and acquaintances why they run and the replies are both instructive and revelatory. ‘As I eat like a horse, it helps me to stay slim’, ‘It’s the only way I can do mindfulness without a glass of wine in my hand’ and ‘I get a buzz, a bit like dancing all night for a nearly 50-year-old’ compare and contrast with ‘It’s good self-discipline, and invigorating’ and
‘I need time away from emails and my phone’. Factor in a number of comments about meeting
new people, a chance to buy cool trainers, feeling healthier and an opportunity to listen to music and podcasts, and the reasons are as varied as the distances this disparate section of people run. But underlying every explanation and quip is a positive response. For those who get past the initial difficulties when venturing out to run for the first time (or returning to the sport after time away), the experience seems to be wholly favourable, both from a physical and, perhaps more importantly, psychological standpoint.
