RUNNING For your mental health Vanisha Breault
“If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
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his quote was made for me and has mirrored my life in many ways and through many seasons.
health. Running has been the cheapest and most accessible form of therapy I have ever encountered.
I have found in my life that my mind has been the biggest battle I have had to face or had to face in doing or accomplishing anything; running was and is no different. I have had a long-standing love affair with running for just over 13 years now. I run all year long and always outside and yes even through the winter and even when it is cold.
Running supported me while I overcame a dependence on alcohol several years ago. There was a time I did not think I could go 24 hours without drinking; running along with some additional supports helped me to overcome my cravings and gave me the courage to stay sober for that day…eventually all of my “one day’s” have added up to many days.
For me, running became a metaphor for my life very early on. Five months into my newfound love of running my marriage was hit by a massive tsunami that wiped us out. Running was one of those things that held me up and kept me moving forward and has continued to be one of the biggest tools I have used when it comes to my mental and emotional
The benefits of running or learning to run are numerous, but the mental and emotional benefits of having running in your back pocket as a tool to use whenever you need it; say like a global pandemic or something super cata-
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