Work pressures and running
In 2010, Hasan quit his job after months of long hours, little managerial support and mounting corporate demands. At the time, he had no other job to go to, but knew that 'a line had been crossed' and that he needed to leave work if he was to protect his mental health.
In 2017, a friend Hasan hadn't seen for many years commented that he had "ballooned", as a result of his stressful lifestyle. At the time, Hasan said that the comment 'cut him to the heart', but it was the wake-up call he needed to start addressing his physical and mental health and to make his work practices more sustainable.
Hasan started walking and trained for the 70k Cancer Research UK - London to Brighton ultra walk. Always one for a challenge, Hasan completed the event in 33 hours. Through his training and long-distance walks, Hasan had gradually progressed to running by 2017.
Two years later, Hasan was made redundant and he says that running coming into his life was a blessing, which has help sustain him through the challenges he had to face at this time. Not only did Hasan lose his job, but the consequences of Brexit and then COVID, made it impossible for him to find a new one. When he had been out of work for six months, Hasan and his wife found out that they were expecting a baby. It was an extremely worrying and distressing time for him and his family.
'Running became a big thing for me (at this time),' said Hasan. ' I'd go for a half hour run and clear my mind and get away from job applications and just come back refreshed.'
Today, Hasan has run five marathons; organises a lunch-time running group at his workplace; and is part of various running movements, including: Adidas Runners, Muslim Runners, parkrun and the Run Grateful movement
He cannot now imagine a time when running won’t be a part of his life as it helps him to keep healthy, to think more clearly and to feel happier and better able to cope with the demands of his work.
With so many people facing extreme work pressures at the moment and suffering from burn out, Hasan's story is particularly poignant and has valuable pointers for those seeking to manage work pressures.
Instagram - thechallengerinme
Running…with gratitude
Ep 8, S2 - Why Run? podcast - 25 May 2023
Mark White founder of Run Grateful - a movement that links gratitude with movement.
On this episode, Mark candidly shares his story of how he went into rehab for drug and alcohol dependency at the shockingly young age of 18. At the time, he didn’t want to go, but once there, rehab gave Mark the opportunity to reboot his life: to get clean; to make new friends; and to learn about the importance of gratitude.
Mark started running more than ten years ago and, over the years, has consistently used running as an opportunity to meditate about gratitude. Like me, Mark has experienced serious ill-health, having once been so ill he was in hospital with pleurisy and pneumonia and unable to get out of bed. The fact that he recovered and his body is now strong and healthy is something he often returns to when he 'runs grateful'.
Today Run Grateful is a movement that inspires runners (and walkers) around the world. The concept is simple: when you go for a run or walk, dedicate a mile to someone or something that you are grateful for in your life.
At the heart of Run Grateful is the importance of how hope is vital element in our lives - however difficult times may be - and how focusing upon all the good things in our lives that we are grateful for, can transform our mood and state-of-mind.
During lockdown, Mark launched a phenomenal personal challenge. He ran a mile - every hour - for 24 hours and dedicated each of his runs to something or someone, he was grateful to have in his life. His posts and the stories around them attracted worldwide attention and now runners in more than 80 countries have connected with the Run Grateful movement.
Mark is also host of the Move with Gratitude podcast which can be found on Spotify, Apple podcasts and all podcast providers.
Instagram - 1gratefulrun
YouTube - Run Grateful
Facebook - Run Grateful
Living life to the full after 40…and running
Ep7, S2 - Why Run? podcast - 29 April 2023
In her 30s, Annie Simpson experienced birth and loss - both of which have very much influenced how she approaches life today.
Desperate for a baby, Annie was told by her consultant in her mid-30s that the only treatment for her fibroids was a hysterectomy.
"Every time someone got pregnant, I'd get tearful and think 'why not me?' 'what have I done?' and it got to the point where I just felt my body was letting me down." A second medical opinion gave Annie hope and after successful surgery to remove her fibroids, Annie became pregnant. However shortly after receiving the joyful news , Annie found out that her mother had terminal breast cancer. She died after a brief illness.
Life brings many challenges ...more as time passes...and how we come to terms with the painful and distressing experiences in our lives has a huge impact upon our mental and emotional well-being today.
In her early 40s, Annie started walking to be more active. Within a year, Annie decided to complete the Couch to 5k and then she completed the London Marathon and numerous other races. She is now having swimming lessons - as she never learnt as a child. This is because she wants to complete her first triathlon this year.
Dressed in bright, colourful outfits and full of kindness and encouragement, Annie has now become a mental health ambassador for BGDRUK and is using her fortysomething energy and outlook to support others. She has also started personal coaching and is aiming to complete more than 19 events this year.
"You've only got one life. Make sure you're living it for you - (whatever your age). When I turned 40, my perspective really changed revealing more to me about life. We have to be brave enough to take the first step."
Instagram: Coach_anniebee
Facebook: SweetSimpson
Linktr.ee: Coach_anniebee
Running…while my son is on chemo
Ep6, S2 - Why Run? podcast - 16 January 2023
At the end of 2021, life took a dramatic turn for Jen and her family. After months of tests, Jen’s five year old son Eshan was diagnosed with a chromozone disorder - neurofibromatosis or NF-1 – on New Year’s Day.
The reason that Jen and her husband had taken Eshan for tests – was because he was losing his sight – and it turned out that their little boy had a tumour on his optic nerve. Having NF-1 means that Eshan will be susceptible to internal tumours throughout his life.
Facing such a diagnosis has been heart-breaking, but as Jen says in her interview: “as a mum, you can surprise yourself … you find strength somewhere. You have to keep going to look after your family.”
Jen started running regularly a few years ago after completing the Couch to 5k with a running group. But it has taken on a new significance since Eashan’s diagnosis.
Jen says it has been her running through this period that has given her strength… “a pause button” on a very stressful and emotional time. She says that without it, she would be in a very dark place.
Whilst Eshan is having chemo, Jen has committed to run 100k a month. She also ran the Great North Run last year, raising £5,000 for her son’s oncology award.
Follow Jen on Instagram
Eating disorder, becoming a mum…and running
Vicki on the Why Run? podcast episode Eating disorder, becoming a mum…and running. She talks about her eating disorder and how after a recovery programme, when she had been at a stable weight for six months, she took up running. It has given her confidence, friendship and in 2022 she ran the London Marathon to raise funds for the eating disorder unit where she was treated.
Ep5, S2 - Why Run podcast - 1 January 2023
Trigger warning - please note there are references to eating disorders and eating disorder behaviours in this interview.
Vicki developed an eating disorder - anorexia in 2011. This was a particularly busy and stressful year for her with lots of changes going on in her life. She moved area, she got married, she started a new job and she struggled to cope with all the changes. Initially, restricting her eating and focusing upon food gave Vicki a sense of control over her life, but it wasn’t long before she realised the eating disorder was controlling her and not the other way round.
Vicki struggled with her eating disorder for seven years with it resurfacing after the birth of each of her two children and in 2017 she was diagnosed with anorexia. Fortunately she was able to access excellent support and received treatment as a day patient at a specialist eating disorder service.
1n 2019, Vicki decided to start running. Her family were concerned that it could be a new purging activity to control her weight, but instead, it has transformed her life. It’s given her strength, a sense of fulfilment and friendship through her running group the Chippenham Harriers.
This year, Vicki says, life came full circle when she ran her first marathon – the London Marathon – raising funds for Oxford Health, the charity that supports the specialist eating disorder service where Vicki was treated.
This is a particularly poignant interview for me, for as some of you know, I had an eating disorder and was bulimic during much of my teens and 20s and this is referenced in the interview...because we do share common ground in some ways. And like Vicki, running is a key part of my relationship with my body today – but in a really positive way.
Instagram @vickidoesnotlikehills