Charlotte’s story: Running is a constant wherever life takes me

In the busyness of life, running can provide a moment to pause. Simply grabbing our trainers and going for a run, especially with other people, can provide such a boost for our mental health. We recently caught up with Charlotte Edwards, HR Officer at England Athletics, to find out more about why she runs and the positive impact it has had on her mental health.

Providing a constant in a moving world

For Charlotte, the simplicity of stepping out and going for a run has been particularly helpful over the past few years, when lots of other things have been changing.

“The reason why I run is to have that one consistent thing in my life over the last six years since graduating university. Due to my husband being in the Military, I have moved around the UK with him and have moved five times in the last six years.

“Running has been that one thing that has remained the same. I know wherever we move to I can at least put on a pair of trainers and go for a run. I think that is also why I have done so many parkruns, there is always a local parkrun to do.”

Boosting mental health

Like many people across the country, Charlotte has been working remotely since the pandemic began in 2020. As a result, she finds running particularly helpful to not only clear her head but also to meet new people. This social connection is so important for supporting your mental health.

“Since working remotely, I would say that running has increasingly helped my mental health and, in particular, is a great way to make sure I take a break from work during the day. I also find running as part of a club has helped me to meet new people, especially when moving to a new area.”

If you would like to run with others in a fun, friendly, inclusive and safe environment, you can find your local RunTogether group here.

Choosing the next holiday destination

Together with her husband, Charlotte decided to take on the challenge of completing the SuperHalf series, which involves completing six half marathons across Europe (Cardiff, Lisbon, Valencia, Berlin, Prague and Copenhagen).

“We thought it would be a great way to help us decide where to go on holiday (as we can never agree) and see some lovely cities around Europe. I have since completed Prague, Cardiff, Valencia, Lisbon and Berlin and I am due to run Copenhagen in September 2026. It has also been lovely to complete the series alongside my mother-in-law and her friends who have all just started running over the last few years.”

Being able to run with family, friends or even strangers and support them on their running journey is fulfilling and makes each run even more special. Charlotte is also part of a local pacing team and finds it particularly rewarding to give back to others

If your running group has been inspired to support the mental health of your runners, then you can get involved in our upcoming #RunAndTalk Week, which is taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week (11-17 May).