Jo F.W Royal Park Half Marathon 2022

A little bit about me! I started running in 2013 and it became a lifeline for me, I’ve completed 14 marathons, 27 half marathons and 5 ultra marathons. I find running my own form of mindfulness, able to switch off and just be in the moment – which with a lifetime of mental illness is a huge thing! But with the arrival of covid and lockdown, I struggled to motivate myself to keep running or moving at all and my depression, anxiety, and trauma all re-asserted themselves. But then I found Frazzled Cafe and twice a week I joined, as Ruby puts it – “my people” – I’ve never actually spoken in the main part of the big sessions but I love to listen to everyone and feel that empathy and to know none of us are alone. Then the smaller groups and in the last year the weekly mindfulness and café conversations have provided further support and a sense of belonging. What hasn’t really returned is the running, I’ve tried but it feels like I’ve failed – but I understand actually it’s not a failure. Even if I manage to run or run/walk once a week and feel good about it that’s what counts. I want to remind myself of why I ran in the first place, not to achieve amazing times or distances but just to get that endorphin rush and have a bit of space and time for myself. Anyone can run – seriously I mean it, if I can as an overweight peri-menopausal woman then you can...because it’s not about time, distance or achievement. It’s just about moving, even if my run is only slightly faster than a walk that’s okay. That’s enough. I am enough. WE are enough and that’s what Frazzled has taught me and why I want to pull on my trainers and go for a run! So please if you can make a donation and I share my highs and lows and a fair few pictures of food on my Instagram @jofwise