The timer is set, counting down the days to the Investec Guernsey Mind 10K Fun Run. Entrants from all over the island and of all abilities are warming up in preparation to raise awareness of the positive links between our physical and mental health and raise much-needed funds for Guernsey Mind.
Three runners who are taking up the challenge this year and shouting about the benefits of running are Rebekah Kellow, Justine Mallett (Senior Business Development Manager at Investec), and Rudi Le Roux (Chief Operating Officer at Investec).
Rebekah has been running for less than a year but has already noticed the difference the activity can make. Following a personal challenge set last October in the run-up to her 50th birthday, she is now a regular participant in Park Run and has completed two super sprint triathlons. The Investec Guernsey Mind 10K Fun Run is her next challenge, and she is preparing with the help of her coach, Lou Critchlow and an eight-week training programme. The support of the rest of the training group is helping to spur her on as is the Fun Run flyer sat on Rebekah’s desk and on her phone. Through these challenges, Rebekah has surprised her friends and family, but more importantly, she has surprised herself. And she is eager to keep going.
Discussing her running and how it has helped her mental health and physical wellbeing, Rebekah explains, “Recently I celebrated my 50th birthday, and I can’t believe how far I’ve come with running. The other day, I ran for 55 minutes, 6.3K – the longest and furthest ever. As I was running, I was contemplating many things (turning fifty, being fit and healthy amongst them) and I came to understand two things: to run further you just have to keep going, and that running and personal challenges do wonders for my mental health. It may have taken half a century to come to this conclusion, but I am sure it will mark the start of many more healthy decades to come.
“The work of Guernsey Mind, in promoting a positive attitude to mental health and wellbeing, is so important for our community. I hope that in a small way, my taking part in this personal challenge will help to support this mission.”
Justine has also found that running with friends can make all of the difference. She says: “I run because it does make a difference to me mentally and physically, but I have to be honest – I am not a natural runner. Getting me started is a slog, but as my fitness increases, I do find running easier and enjoy it more.I’m not sure that I’ll ever get to the point when I actively enjoy running but I do like the benefits it brings (in other words I can eat/drink more), and it’s fun to run with friends, too. When I’m struggling for motivation, I find that running with friends helps. It helps to share the pain.”
For Rudi, the Investec Guernsey Mind 10K Fun Run is a challenge that he will participate in for years to come. Not only because of its benefits for Guernsey Mind and his own wellbeing, but also due to shared family memories. He explains: “The Guernsey Mind Fun Run in September 2016 was my first attempt to run a 10K, although I walked most of it with my son. After that, I kept running. So, I will always run the Investec Guernsey Mind 10K Fun Run every year to help celebrate the event that got us off the couch.Being able to help Guernsey Mind raise funds and promote awareness of the charity and mental wellbeing is a great bonus. It feels fantastic to take part in this event that has such great benefits for ourselves and our wider community.”
Laurel Le Tocq of Guernsey Mind, said: “Our annual fun run is not only a good fundraiser for us but is also a great way for us to promote the links between physical and mental health. With two in three people likely to be affected by mental health issues in their lifetime, we want to highlight that being mentally healthy is just as important to our wellbeing as being physically healthy. The two are intrinsically linked. We love hearing about all the new runners who are using our Fun Run as their first 10K, and of course look forward to seeing familiar faces who come back year on year.”
Nick Leale of Investec, added: “This event is about having fun and the community coming together to help a worthy cause. The importance of looking after our wellbeing can’t be shouted about enough, and it is great to see participants who were not originally runners taking up this challenge and sharing their experiences and the positive effects they have felt on their journey.”
It’s not too late to register for the Investec Guernsey Mind 10K Fun Run. Visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/investec-guernsey-mind-10km-fun-run-tickets-44788443440
