Mental Benefits of Running: A Runner's Fix for a Frenzied Mind

Ever wake up in a funk? Or maybe the voice of self-doubt, frustration or failure seems loud. Here's a little reminder...the mental benefits of running can boost your mood in a hurry.

When runner Nathan Reyes woke up with a cocktail of thoughts, he needed to find a way to make sense of it all.

Here's what happened...

I sit alone and afraid, ashamed that I fell short of the things that I was supposed to accomplish.

I make a mental checklist, a real checklist, when under halfway checked off at the end of the day, becomes harder to face.

👉 You ever felt this way?

I’ll be the first one to say, I’ve been blessed with so much, yet the unsatisfied longing that I walk around with during waking hours, make that evidence scarce.

Unsure of which category of attitude I will use to face the day, I consider my options:

• Narcissism has been a more common occurrence. Why? it saves me the trouble of apologizing or making excuses for myself. 
• Congeniality is a big hit with those who I cross paths with. But the effort is not worth the reward when I walk away wondering why I waste my time.  
• Chasing approval, seems most likely the place I’ll end up anyway. It seems like the more dignified way to pop the endorphin rush. Despite dignity I sacrifice to accomplish it.  
• Frustrated. If I just settle down and be realistic, I can land on the frustrated attitude.  I mean, who can blame me for that.  Look, I followed most of the rules and played the game as fair as others.  
  • Where are the accolades due me? 
  • And why aren’t the people that I bend over backwards for, standing by to feed my ego when I need it most?   
  • Why aren’t the people I see struggling asking for my advice or guidance? Furthermore, why aren’t the people who I advise, following my step-by-step guide to wellness?

This seems like a world that may not understand who I am, or what I’m capable of, or what I have to offer.

👉Sound familiar?

It's a little peek inside the mind trying to make sense of everything competing for your time and attention.

So now what?

If you're ever feeling stuck, angry, frustrated, in a funk, unmotivated, uncertain, or anything else that fits the description of a frenzied mind, there's a simple way to help sort things out.

👉 Wondering how to shake those feelings and clear your mind?

Here's a hint...🏃‍♂️👟🏃‍♀️👟😃

"Goodbye I am off for a run."  

"Goodbye obliging overcommitted mind-numbing waste."

"Goodbye deadlines, notifications, paperwork, and problems that can't be solved like a 30-minute sitcom."

"I'm heading out to fill up on the mental benefits of running."

When you muster the willpower to lace up your running shoes and go, especially on days you don't feel like it, clarity doesn't always come right away.

Be patient...

I run for the first couple minutes, and my breath catches up to my stride. 

My stiffness and dullness move to warming blood and increased awareness. 

My heart wakes up to provide fuel for body in need of replenishing. 

The brain starts to shift into logistical mode, firing nerves in succession while quieting fears and doubts.

👉 Does your mood start to change after running for just a few minutes?

I turn to my friend running next to me and see that they have also now come to life, after that first mile.

We are beyond what we are wearing. Protection of vanities is gone. We're simply engaging in the task at hand.  

And we're unaware that we have let down our guards for appropriate conversation, to the more gruesome...

• Sweat
• Mud
• Bugs
• And webs on a trail that leads away from the things of comfort, into a new land of unknowns and unexplored places.  

Excited and challenged, but this is a challenge I am up for.  

As I pass those running along the way, I can flash them a smile and word of encouragement that I once sorely needed as a beginner. 

Likewise, when I am passed by someone pushing harder and faster, it’s amazing to hear and see the same from them. 

I find the clarity of the time and distance of a given run, not as a judgement of who I am, but more knowing who I am.

Here I am on display, out in public, anyone who wants, can see me. 

Covered in determination, facing down my challenge, not taking, but giving effort. 

Not perfect, but an inspiration to anyone who might feel they should have to hide their imperfections. 

👉 Do you smile, wave or greet people when you're on a run?
👉 Can you celebrate the success and effort of others?

As my run is coming to an end, and I am now admitting my body is spent, I am reminded of the great things I am returning to. 

The world had not really become too much to handle. It is just a race that I persevere step by step. 

I’ll keep running into the unknown, the rest of you, will know me soon.

👉 Does running help clear your mind?

Nathan Reyes is a member of the WeeViews inner circle and trail runner based in Ohio.