Running Man

 

"He's playing for a Prize.....the Prize is his life"

Putting Arnie aside for now, what would posess someone to run up and down a mountain? Not once but multiple times? 

I for one wouldn't (or I should say, couldn't) but my cousin Ali Hollest did and it is called the Snowdon 6 ways ultra run. It is totally awesome what Ali achieved recently.  Even though being fit and teaching others how to get the most out of physical activity is his profession, what he has done for raising money for the charity MIND as well as highlighting awareness of mental health issues suffered by many is pretty amazing.

A link to Ali's podcast is provided at the end so you can hear his story.

During this messed up year the importance of finding physical outlets really hit home. My main sporting outlet was out for most of 2020 due to social distancing rules and I deeply missed this healthy distraction, which for me at times is a bit of a lifeline. I had to find a good alternative.

Being creative as well as constantly learning and exploring is tiring mentally and also it affects you physically. I am no psychologist but if someone was to keep up creative pursuits or the grind of daily life without healthy active outlets then something will crack at some point.

Running, I don't love it, sometimes I don't like it. It is however a good and healthy challenge to say to yourself "Today I will do the run which I planned for this morning" (evening or whenever). As Ali pointed out to me, it is O.K to not enjoy the run, he also pointed out different levels of running and our emotional feelings experienced during the run, some really good and some....not so good.

There is something primal about running which Ali is very passionate about.

A few weeks ago during my very cold morning outing, ghostly figures of other runners emerged on the road ahead of me through the thick fog, strange apparitions materialising out of nothingness.  With pretty cold hands (I failed to put on gloves) I did think it would have been easier if a lion was chasing me from behind as added motivation!

There is also something quite profound in the way that parts of your brain open up when you are in the middle of a run, when (and sometimes if) you get into a rhythm.

Here is a link to Ali's new podcast which is really worth taking the time to listen to:

Link: Evolve Episodes