Skip to content

Miles For Mind - Plucking Up The Courage To Run by Sarah Davis

Miles For Mind - Plucking Up The Courage To Run by Sarah Davis

In 2015 I finally plucked up the courage to go to an organised running event on my own.

Sure, I’d done a charity fun run with my best friend in the past. But in November 2014 I was in a dark place mentally. In a relationship sadly going nowhere, and needed to be with people who didn’t judge me, or know anything about me. 

I discovered through Twitter there was a new running event called Parkrun starting in my nearby town, Tring in Hertfordshire. 

I was nervous that first morning. Would I turn up too early or be too late? Do I eat before a run? Did I have the right running clothes? 

Fast forward 100 Parkruns later. I’ve visited two new countries through running (Denmark & Germany), met some really friendly runners and even joined a running club!!! 

Every time I’ve gone to Parkrun I’ve met a range of runners. Those who run every week, those training for their next challenge, tourists who always run a new Parkrun each week, newbies to running and those who pick and choose when to run. We all have one thing in common a love of running and being in the outdoors. 

I know it sounds crazy... but there is something so satisfying about running at 9am on a Saturday morning. 

My friends and family have been fantastic at supporting my passion for running and my new ritual of getting up early!!!

Let me be honest with you, I was not a sporty person at school, college or uni. But discovering Parkrun and my running club has provided a fantastic place for me to be with likeminded people who don’t judge and are supportive of me.

Running on a Thursday night usually involves a drink in a local pub afterwards. For me that’s the perfect reward

#cheers #thisgirlcan #parkrun running #runr #fitfam #mentalwellbeing 

---------------------------------------------------

As part of #MilesForMind we want to raise money for Mind and also awareness of mental health issues.
 
It's OK to have a mental health issue, it's OK to talk about mental health, and it's OK to ask for help.
 
We firmly believe that running can contribute to a healthy body, and healthy mind and we hope sharing people's stories of mental health and running will inspire others to lace up for better mental health.

Your cart is empty