Running During Covid - Motivation

Written by Physiotherapist and runner Becky Sutton

Running is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it (sometimes both!). For some, you hate the thought of doing it but love the feeling afterwards. Running has a huge number of benefits for physical and mental health as well as socially. During the Covid pandemic, there has been a real surge in people finding the love for running (or being forced into it during lockdown when all other sporting options were shut). For those that were running previously, it has meant changes to training. 

There have been two interesting research studies published this year looking into running motivation, behaviours and running-related injury during Covid, parts of which I will touch on here and next week. Reportedly, motivation for running has changed during this period – rather than training for events and the social aspect that comes with running, we have used it to occupy free time, for stress relief and fitness. Personally, I can certainly relate to this – I have always run for times and a personal sense of achievement but now it is so much more than that – it is my escape, my happy place, my sanity.  

What drives you to lace up and get out there? Has running helped you to keep going during this crazy time? Is your mindset changing again now with the return of face to face events? I can definitely feel my competitive edge coming back having already done a few Covid-friendly events! Perhaps running is long forgotten with the reopening of gyms and other forms of exercise?  

Whatever your story, this recent running boom is great if it is keeping people happier and healthier. However, we can’t ignore the risk of injury. Has this changed during Covid too?

More on this next week!