sportingheads

The novelty of running early on a Saturday morning without a hangover has never worn off. It always fills me with gratitude and pride and kick starts my weekend with an amazing endorphin rush.

My teenage years were tough and my depression worsened. My mum searched for an activity I could fully focus on and so I was introduced to yoga.

We discussed social media, bodybuilding and mental health with the founder of the community project, Mental Health Muscle

Something that made my John O'Groats to Land's End cycle challenge slightly harder is the fact I am an eating disorder survivor.

I had spent 10 years avoiding attention due to mental illness and my embarrassment, now I was telling my Invictus story to the BBC

For me talking about things and having my cycling well-being tool have improved all areas of my life, I am emotionally and physically stronger to cope with the situations that made me crumble

I realise now that the very process of rowing was my way of moving the grief that had settled so deeply into my bones

Exercise had taken over my life. I lived to get faster race times and would feel depressed if I didn’t improve. Nothing else mattered.

Psychosis for me feels like someone has taken control of my actions and all I can do is sit and watch. Running helps to ground me and prevent any form of psychosis.

What happens when you incorporate running into a psychotherapy session? Read our interview with the founder of Dynamic Running Therapy