I accidentally discovered Run Talk Run when I challenged myself to run or walk 5 km every day for an entire year. That’s right, 5km for 365 days. You can find how that went in another post. My own anxiety levels at that time were a daily rollercoaster ride. The inspiration for such a daunting goal came from Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by Dr John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman recommended by my hypnotherapy course at CPHT Belfast. It’s a fascinating book all about the science behind how exercise can grow your brain, lift your mood, fight memory loss and beat stress. As well as looking into the role exercise plays in supporting and managing anxiety, depression, ADHD, menopause and many other conditions. So I’d thought I’d put the science into practice. I wanted to see if it could help me reduce my growing stress snowball. Which currently had me feeling like I was stuck somewhere in the middle of it. Hurtling down the hill at 90 miles per with no idea how to stop or break free. My story with Run Talk Run went something like this. Step 1. I had a random idea while out running one evening. ( Running is brilliant for this, ideas seem to pop out of nowhere.) I thought,” wouldn’t it be great if there was a running group where people felt comfortable talking about anxiety and depression or feeling stressed out.” My Primitive brain went, “Yeah, right, that’s not going to happen”. Step 2. A couple of days later, I randomly scroll through Instagram and stumble across a post by Bella Mackie, who shared a post from Run Talk Run. This was one of those times that social media does what it’s supposed to, it gave me positive interaction. Step 3. Here it was. Precisely what I had asked for. Thank you, universe. I contacted Jessica from Run Talk Run to see if I could set up a group in Letterkenny. Would it be possible? Step 4. Covid happened! The world came to a standstill the week we were due to launch the very first run. So RTR Letterkenny went on hold. Step 5. Months passed. Lockdown slowly started to lift and Walk Talk Walk was born in the UK, so I decided to take on Walk Talk Walk Letterkenny in the meantime. I’m proud to say it was the first in Ireland. Step 6. Finally, Lockdown properly lifts, we returned to some sense of normality, and over a year later, Run Talk Run Letterkenny is up and running.
So what exactly is Run Talk Run and Walk Talk Walk? They were set up with the mission to increase accessibility to mental health support through running & walking peer support groups. Run Talk Run is a global mental health running group taking place as a weekly 5km gentle jog, and Walk Talk Walk is a weekly 3-5km walk. It began in October 2017, when our founder Jess Robson was in a very dark place with her depression. Running was an outlet for Jess, and she discovered she found it easier to open up while in the outdoors… more so than when she was sitting inside with her therapist! She started her first weekly run in London. Jess would show up to plenty of runs, waiting in the cold outside Monument Station and ending up running alone on plenty of occasions, but eventually, people began to show up. Then the first run was set up outside of London by a fellow runner, Jen, in Peterborough. That was the beginning of other community champions up and down the UK (and, now, all over the world) to begin their own Run Talk Runs, too. It’s now a global community, with 170+ groups in locations worldwide. Every group is hosted weekly to provide consistent peer support for those who seek it. It allows a safe space to run and talk, free from judgement or competition.
It’s are FREE to attend, for ALL abilities. We run as slow as the slowest runner. The groups are there to support you
- if you’re experiencing mental ill-health, particularly if you’re waiting for or not engaged with treatment.
- perhaps you’re inactive or find it hard to ‘commit’ to regular exercise.
- maybe you’re experiencing loneliness or at risk of feeling alone.
You can find out more by clicking here www.runtalkrun.com Run Talk Run Letterkenny takes place every Wednesday at 5:30 pm. Meet up at the entrance to Ballymacool Town Park. Walk Talk Walk Letterkenny takes place every Tuesday at 6:00 pm. Meet up in the car park of Ballymacool Town Park.
Both are such a great way to meet new people, move your body, mind and have a chat about how you’re doing. However, there is never any pressure on anyone to talk. It’s about peer support. Becoming a leader is so rewarding. I’ve met so many new people. Everyone that comes to the walks or runs leaves feeling better about the day, including me. Making time to grab a 10 or 15min jog, walk or whatever style of exercise you enjoy give’s you space to think. Change your mindset and outlook. Whether you’ve had a tail-chasing shift at work or a chaotic day at home with the kids. Exercise simply lets you blow off some steam. It’s such an important resource for seizing back some self relief and neutralizing the stress or pressure in your life. No matter where or how exercise fits into your day or week, science proves to us the benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing are real.
Fancy coming along to Run Talk Run or Walk Talk Walk Letterkenny? You can find us on Instagram or Facebook. Or send me an email at lucy@simplestepshypnotherapy.com If you’re not from Letterkenny, there might be an RTR or WTW in your local area. You can find all the other groups here. Or why not become a leader yourself?
When people support each other, incredible things happen.