Mental Health Benefits of Running

By: JC Lippold

Running recalibrates our minds to what nourishes our physical, spiritual, and most prominently, our mental health. Running provides the runner...

Perspective- when you are on the course, you see different people, different capacities, different strategies, different responses, different motivations and in doing so, you are provided the opportunity to ask yourself:

Who am I?

What am I capable of?

How will I do the thing?

How will I respond to what I experience on my run?

Why am I doing this?

Space- I often say, running is my vacation from work and home. When you lace up and go, your mind is given the space to see a different world and when you return, see your work and home in a different way.

Time-  I often say (I say a lot of things), running is my break from everything else. When you lace up and go, your mind gets to idle and wander for the 5 minutes or the 5 hours that you are on the road. 

Here's what that perspective, space and time look like...

In 2021, I finished 17th out of 19th at the Eau Claire Marathon in my age group. I won!

I was 100% successful in experiencing all my favorite things about running.

time spent outside

social connection w/ a big bunch of strangers

experiencing a city from its streets, trails, rivers & bridges

how GOOD a burger & coke tastes afterwards

You may go, "Wow, that's a really healthy way to frame race day." I agree. And I have running to thank for providing me the perspective, space, and time to frame it up in a healthy way