Running offers a release to all life’s problems

In life, each and every one of us face obstacles and challenges, both big and small, that test our strength, resilience and determination. It’s how we deal with these and overcome them that determines how the day or week goes, how we get through, survive and get ready for the next challenge – because that’s what it feels like sometimes, challenge after challenge, obstacle after obstacle.

Sometimes we need to detach, take some time out, think and analyse the situation, figure out what we can and cannot do, control, improve and then climb over the obstacle. We become stronger, more resilient and ready for the next day. If we don’t face the obstacle it won’t just go away; it remains, lingers, maybe grows legs and arms, and becomes a bigger problem.

Sometimes it’s health, sometimes it’s family, sometimes it’s injury, sometimes it’s financial, sometimes it’s exams, sometimes it’s being overworked, sometimes it’s the world we live in and sometimes we’re just maxed out. We have to find a way, we have to balance things, we have to control the controllable, figure out how to deal with the uncontrollable and then park it. For me, when dealing with any issue, a positive attitude makes the situation manageable, it diverts people away from the negative and into what can be done, what outcomes can be achieved. It allows you bring people along through the challenge and out the other end.

Sometimes it can be easy to fall into a cycle of negative thinking when faced with difficulties but every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and personal development. By approaching challenges with a positive attitude and a determination to overcome them, we can build the resilience and strength needed to navigate through life’s obstacles.

In a world full of hurdles, we all need something to support us in jumping them, to survive the challenges, to make it to the next day. It’s how we look at the issues, niggles, challenges, problems, and how we deal with and overcome them, that makes us stronger and ready for the next one. Sometimes they all come together and that can be tough, it challenges us in higher ways; it can tire us, wear us down, our minds become frazzled and clear thinking can be become blurred. That’s why we all need something to distract us fully, completely and in every way so when we do come back to reality we are refreshed, our mind is clear of all problems and fully ready to face the next adventure. We need healthy coping mechanisms when dealing with life’s problems – for some that something is mindfulness, for some it’s reading, dancing, a movie, walking, swimming, shopping or faith.

I love many things in life but when I run it brings me to a higher place. It fully, completely and in every way brings my mind and body to a place of freedom, fun, positivity and power, where one feels strong, good, healthy and happy, where one moves through the motions with nature and people, in a carefree world. It fills one with adrenaline, enthusiasm and an endless energy that lasts all day so when challenges arise, one faces them with positivity and enthusiasm, able to see challenges as learning in an ever-changing world.

In Ireland today I see the obstacles the youth face, which are a lot different to those I faced when younger. The pressure from peers and social media, the pressure of college, exams, study, it can come from all sides. The coping mechanisms might not be as strong, the resilience, the strength to say no, to express one’s feelings, the lines of communication maybe not as open as before, maybe not having someone at home to talk to, not having the social outlets available to meet people, not having the real friends to meet for the chat. In all situations we need people around us to chat to, to offload, to discuss thoughts, problems and issues and to seek some advice. All of this helps us to better manage stress, anxiety and other negative emotions that may arise during times of change. There is strength in community and unity.

Challenges are an inevitable part of the human experience, life is ever-changing, and nothing is static. By sharing our struggles and triumphs with others, we can gain perspective, insight and support that help us navigate through life's challenges with grace and resilience.

One of the biggest challenges is facing adversity. Whether it's a job loss, a financial setback, a failed relationship or a health crisis, adversity can strike at any time and can be incredibly difficult to overcome. It can shake us to our core, leaving us feeling lost, helpless and overwhelmed. However, it is during times of adversity that we discover our inner strength and toughness. We learn to tap into our reserves of courage, determination and faith to navigate through the storm and emerge wiser and stronger on the other side.

When it comes to sport we are constantly faced with obstacles. There is absolutely nothing we can do about Irish weather, just prepare as best we can with the correct clothing. Injury can impede an athlete’s performance and some can find it hard to take rest or a time out. Sometimes one cannot afford the physio or the treatment needed so the athlete must find a way, maybe swim instead of run, maybe jog in the pool instead of outdoors, maybe cycle instead of play ball. The athlete remains fit and it keeps one sane. In the modern world we live in, sportspeople can feel pressurised from the media, social media, and fear criticism for not performing well, of letting teammates down. It’s important to talk to friends, fellow sportspeople, family members and to have support, to get through the tough days.

The cost of being an athlete can present huge barriers too, the gear, the travel, not being able to work, the training, equipment. We must challenge societal norms and overcome barriers to create a more inclusive, equal sporting world where everyone can thrive, overcome ongoing challenges, fulfil their potential and achieve their goals.

On an extremely busy week in May, I need a balance and so I’m off to the first of the Mayo AC 5k series in Castlebar. It’s where I work so I’d only left the town two hours earlier; the car would drive itself at this stage. It might be an evening of fun in summer sun but a stroll is no good to me, I need to get the heart-rate up, I need to run fast, I need to offload, so a short, fast 5k run with friends will tick all the boxes. That’s the wonderful thing about our county town and Lough Lannagh, the escapism. In five minutes one can veer off track and get lost in a green area, by the water, Croagh Patrick standing tall ahead, the swans swimming along us. We can walk, jog and run for a few miles in a traffic free, healthy zone.

The first of the Mayo AC series is always a wonderful event, used as a good hard training midweek run around the lake. I am tired and exhausted with an extremely busy schedule between working in education, home time, family time and everything else thrown in. Being a morning runner, an 8pm start seems like two days away, but my mind needs a run, where the workload and past is forgotten, the future unknown, because right now the body and mind must do what’s needed, only able to focus on the moment with not an inch of space for other thoughts to enter.

The buzz on arrival, the music, the craic, the friends, the green and red of Mayo interspersed in the crowd, the happiness of everyone, feeling good to get outdoors, in May sunshine. A warm-up with friends, the plans, the races, the times, the hopes, the training, everything but work and home life discussed. We line up, we take off, that feel-good factor begins, the excitement, the pushing, the breathing, one most focus on every breath, step and challenge, but these will be conquered, because each and every one of us here has an aim, a reason for being here: for ourselves, to achieve, to feel good, to support Mayo AC, to hang out with friends, to compete against friends, and most of all to have fun with friends. The madness of life is left back in the town, the mindfulness of running bringing us around Lough Lannagh.

After the cheers from the supporters, one mile in the heavens open, a hammering of rain. One must push hard against the heavy drops and the floods of puddles. It’s becoming difficult to see and there’s weight in the singlets but one keeps running. In some strange way this doesn’t seem hard, it doesn’t seem like a challenge, not like the daily ones anyway, because this is manageable, we know it will pass, we will work together, we will achieve.

The end line is in sight, a tough small kick at the end, happy faces crossing the line. One sits and reflects in the hammering rain, forgetting about the weather because one feels good, refreshed, full of adrenaline and energised. We support everyone crossing that line because everyone worked hard and we begin to walk and then jog back out to the real world, to where all the challenges have suddenly disappeared, to a world that is calm, where things can wait, where nothing is urgent, until tomorrow, when we face new challenges with a positive mindset, that we will conquer, overcome and embrace. The rain will stop, the clothes will dry, we will feel stronger, more resilient.

Through overcoming challenges we learn valuable lessons about ourselves, we grow and evolve as individuals and find fulfilment and meaning in our lives. In life, we must embrace the challenges, for they are what make us stronger, wiser, and more resilient.