Have you ever heard that running makes people happier? There is science behind it, proving that the hormones released during and following a run positively affect various aspects of your mental wellness. Especially in tandem with a treatment plan, running can also work marvels in helping support mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and several others.
Many people use running to ease the tension in their bodies, get their minds out of a dark place, and lift their mood. In connection with the launch of The Runner’s World Guide to Mental Health and Mental Health Awareness Month, RW asked you, everyday runners, to share personal stories about life’s unexpected curveballs, encountering loss and grief, dealing with dark thoughts, and battling negative emotions.
Here’s how running has helped eight runners cope and supported their mental health.
Brianna Baker
“As a Black runner, witnessing the events of 2020 and onward related to anti-Black racism and police violence, it’s been hard to stomach all of the pain in my community. When it comes to my mental health, I don’t know where I’d be without running—not because I’m running from something, but because with every stride, I run toward my true self.”
Ben Benya
“Running has always been a way to access a clearer mind, stay in touch with my body, and connect with my family. Before the death of my son, running had been an oasis of familiarity to turn to. After he passed, it gained a deeper meaning.”
Taylor Kantar
“Both postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression hit me hard. When I would find myself in the throes of an anxiety attack, going for a run-walk would help me focus on my breathing and get my heart rate back on track. It provided a structure and a way to cope.”
Christina Schaffer
“Running has been the greatest coping tool my dad—and later my sister—could have portrayed for me. I’m now back to running a marathon each year, and I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been. I even introduced my spouse to running. I am not a ghost anymore—I live, breathe, and run.”
Maurice Washington
“I went from being an athlete to being bedridden and unable to control my bladder. My feelings ranged from embarrassment to devastation and ultimately led to depression. But I knew I had to get better, if not for myself, then for my wife and my children. I needed a big goal to focus on. That goal ended up being running a half marathon.”
Lisa Watkins
“Without running, my run buddies, and the people in my life, the last two years would have had a different outcome. During times when you’re at the very bottom of your cup, running refills it just a little bit, helping you get through another day.”
Chris Aquino
“I applied for the 2022 New York City Marathon, fundraising for brain cancer research in honor of my friend, Atticus. If he were still here, I know he’d be pushing me to do as much with my body as I can while it still works.”
Jennifer Beasley
“Growing up in a chaotic home with substance use and untreated mental health issues, I’ve always struggled with anxiety. Ever since childhood, running helped me feel calmer. Working as a therapist now, I hold space for my client’s trauma, feelings, and emotions. So I run to calm my nervous system.”
Pavlína Černá, an RRCA-certified run coach and cycling enthusiast, has been with Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics since August 2021, joining originally as a newsletter editor. When she doesn’t edit, she writes; when she doesn’t write, she reads or translates. In whatever time she has left, you can find her outside running, roller-skating, or riding to the beat of one of the many audiobooks on her TBL list.