Like many people, I sometimes find myself struggling with my mental health. There are numerous reasons too boring to go into here, but suffice to say that Runmainia helps me. For me, the problem is all about highs and lows. And managing them.

The highs are not really the problem. The highs are amazing – and I wouldn’t want to lose them for anything. They make life intense. Rich. Colourful. Beautiful. They make the world come alive. They make me feel strong, sharp and capable. When things are good, I feel like I can conquer the world and achieve just about anything.

No – the problem is the lows:
That menacingly deep pit of despair that threatens to open up beneath every single step. The twin sirens of Melancholy and Sadness working in tandem to lure you towards the edge, before the evil Misery itself grabs hold and draws you down; down into a place from which almost nothing can escape.

Like many other people who struggle, I use running to help with my mental health. There are some serious psychological benefits to physical exercise, and I strongly recommend anyone currently fighting their own demons to consider taking up the sport. I also happen to find that running is a perfect metaphor. Endurance running strengthens the mind and teaches you to keep going beyond what you previously thought was possible. Running teaches and reminds me that the rewards of continuing are always more profound than the regret of giving up.

Runmainia isn’t about showing off either. There are far too many better runners out there to make that option viable. Instead Runmainia is just something that helps me in my own battle against the blackness. It is a cheat: a way of trying to make the highs permanent. I use it to push myself, and I also use it to try and do some good – a pathetic attempt at redemption for wrongs done.

It is here for the friends I know who are fighting their own battles. And for the people I don’t know too. It is here as a lasting legacy for a life spent drifting. An outlet for a frustrated voice seldom heard. It is my way of showing those consumed by shadows that you are not alone. My way of showing that there is always an alternative. My way of showing that fighting is always worth it. Because however weak you may feel, however bleak things may appear – the darkness can always be beaten.

It’s never too late to make a better choice.