RUNNING CAN PLAY A HUGELY IMPORTANT ROLE IN BOOSTING MENTAL HEALTH. HERE, THREE WOMEN SHARE WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT ‘ S MADE TO THEM

MENTAL HEALTH

Words: Lisa Jackson

“Running helped me befriend my body after an eating disorder”

“I have had issues with body image and selfconfidence for as long as I can remember,” says Valerie Bloomfield, 45, from Rayleigh in Essex. “At school, kids would joke that I would roll rather than run, because I was so short (4ft 11in) and also a bit plump. PE was my worst nightmare. At 19, I decided to stop eating, so nobody would make fun of me any more, but that quickly became a cycle of eating and purging. The only time I stopped was when I was pregnant with my now 16-year-old daughter, Natasha. At work, whenever things became stressful, I’d leave the office, hide in McDonald’s and eat until all the negative feelings disappeared. I was on antidepressants for years, unable to keep down any job for long due to my anxieties, which triggered hiding from people and binges, both with food and drink. My gums were receding and I had heart palpitations.

“Then in my late 20s, I discovered running when my mum offered me a gym membership. At first I was reluctant to use it, but then I decided to just give it a go. I’m so glad I did! My first race was a 10K in London: I was amazed at how inclusive this event was and how friendly other runners were. I discovered that when I run, I’m a different person: my mood is lifted and my brain stops worrying. Running is empowering and at the same time like meditation. When I run, I clear my head, I’m in the moment (not in the past or future) and I can let go of tension. I even get to speak to strangers and make new friends. Running enabled me to stop using antidepressants and I no longer need to drink or overeat to squash my emotions.