Julian's Story: 'My morning run is my mental break'

In our latest story, VitalityHealth member Julian shares how his morning run helps him keep fit both mentally and physically.

Even prior to the pandemic, Julian was working from home. He used his morning run to replace his morning commute, a routine that’s now become habit.

“It’s the time when I clear my head and I get to do my own thing for half an hour, when otherwise I would have been commuting,” he tells Vitality.

Life before running

But it wasn’t always like this for Julian. Prior to finding his love of running life got in the way.

“The thing that put me off was just being lazy: busy life, too much going on, lots of travel with work. Just never finding the time or making the time for myself. I had a young family, so it was very difficult to prioritise these sorts of things.”

Rather than having a light bulb moment, Julian said he gradually came around to the idea he needed to get more active. “I started running because I wasn’t really doing any exercise at all, and I was getting older. I started to realise I couldn’t just go to the pub and do all the things I’ve always done.”

‘I’ve got to start looking after myself’, he thought to himself. “Before I started running, I remember thinking there was no way I can run a 5k,” he admits.

Years later he’s entering the London Marathon, where he managed to put in a “half-decent time”.

“Who’d have thought that me sat on the sofa, thinking about doing a 5k would get to a marathon 10 years later?” he asks. “Running has definitely made a positive impact, not just on my physical health but on my mental health too,” he reflects.

“I feel more able to cope with stress, as well as feeling better about the way I look. I might have gone down a belt size or two – all through running and the motivation I’ve got.”