42 MARCH 2017 womensrunninguk.co.uk
RUNNING FOR MUMS
safety briefing on a plane, you’re instructed
in an emergency to put your own oxygen
mask on before putting one on your child.
Similarly if, as mums, we don’t take time out
to look after ourselves, we cannot expect to
keep going at the pace we do. In fact, taking
time out for yourself is the most unselfish
thing you can do. I’ve lost count of the
number of women who have told me that
running makes them happier, less tired, less
grumpy, better mums and more able to cope
with the demands of family life.”
Dancy agrees wholeheartedly: “Feeling
guilty about taking time out for yourself
suggests you are doing something wrong,”
she says. “But ask yourself: what is wrong
with wanting to have 10 or 20 minutes to
yourself, maybe once or twice a week, doing
something that will help to improve your
self-esteem and mental health, give you
back a sense of identity, make you feel fitter,
less tired, more energised and a stronger,
healthier woman who is a role model to her
children?”
And running has much bigger positive
implications for your mental health, too.
“Being a mummy is a tough job, so
adding in an extra dose of guilt isn’t whatyou need right now,” explains Dancy. “In
fact, postpartum hormonal changes mean
most women are probably at the most
mentally vulnerable point in their lives.
Hormonal shifts leave us feeling anxious
and sad, so we need to try to tackle
this. Progesterone and oestrogen drop
immediately after giving birth, both of
which have a huge impact on mood. Aerobic
exercise, such as running, helps to increase
neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine,
which help to improve mood. Remember
that ‘runner’s high’? Well, it exists whether
you run one mile or 10 miles!”
Bound agrees, citing running as a shot
of pure oxygen for tired mums. “The fresh
air, headspace and endorphins immediately
make your day different,” she says. “It
makes you feel energised, brighter and more
able to deal with what life throws at you. It
strengthens your core, your legs, your arms“FEELING GUILTY ABOUT TAKING TIME
OUT FOR YOURSELF SUGGESTS YOU
ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG”
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