Running is undeniably having its moment right now. You only have to wander into any relatively green or open space and see people clad in spongy shoes and high-vis vests darting towards you with impressive speed to realise its cultural relevance. But when I took up running back in 2021 – it was a very unoriginal lock-down hobby – I had no idea of the impact my steady plodding would have, far beyond just my physical health.
Growing up I was relatively sporty, enjoying netball and tennis before puberty robbed me of the confidence to sweat in public. Thanks to a teenager’s metabolism, I managed to muddle through those years without giving much thought to my own health, or the health of my family.
