Running together can save lives: Hayley's story

Wednesday 21 August 2024

After suffering from bullying as a child, Hayley started running as a way to improve her physical and mental wellbeing. Running soon became an important part of Hayley’s life, and she went on to set up an inclusive social running group called Jolly Joggers. The group focuses on mental wellbeing, aiming to help people of all ages to move more for their mental health and to find connections with like-minded people.

Hayley opens up about how she started running when going through difficult times.

"My running journey started when I was around twelve and there was a lot going on in my life. I’d had the loss of my grandad, so I was dealing with grief. I was also being bullied at the time. I was overweight and I had lots of issues with self-esteem and felt really hopeless and unlovable and worthless."

The power of running

Hayley’s motivation for getting into running was initially focused on improving her physical fitness. But she soon discovered the benefits to her mental wellbeing and self-esteem.

"In my head I thought I’d get fitter. And actually for me, as soon as I got out there it became less about the fitness and it was about the freedom, the escapism that I experienced and just made me feel better about myself. During the difficult times in my life […] pulling on my trainers has been a tool just to get me through. Running has been my go-to, running is a bit like my medicine."

Forming a community

After experiencing the ways in which running helped her navigate challenging moments in her own life, Hayley set out to help others experience the benefits of running.

"I set up Jolly Joggers as a mental wellbeing, beginners running group to help people to move more for their mental health and to find connections of like-minded people. I thought I was going to change people’s lives – actually, it’s changed mine."

Hayley recognises the power of social running in bringing people together who have been through similar experiences and helping to break down the stigma around mental health.

"It gives you a community of people who care for you and value you, and that gives us protection for our mental health in the long term. So just knowing I can turn up and be me and sometimes, that’s happy and really positive. Sometimes I’ve been going through some really hard times and I can turn up and it’s okay that perhaps I’m not myself and I just need to talk to someone else."

Moving together

Jolly Joggers is a supportive, inclusive group that works with people of all ages, from 12-year-olds all the way through to people in their 80s, as well as people with long-term health conditions and disabilities.

"I think it’s all about being yourself and supporting one another. So we start together. We finish together. We have a mantra which is ‘your body, your mind, your pace, your time’, and I think that’s key."

Hayley and her group in a park doing group stretching

Hayley finishes by highlighting the benefits of group running, and the long term mental well-being benefits that come from being part of a supportive group.

"So it is about the running and moving together and being outside. But it’s about that group as well. It brings people joy, it empowers people and it can really change and sometimes save lives."