Writing and running. Two words that sum up how I survived lockdown: for varying reasons and with greater or lesser challenges each time but always to the undeniable benefit of my mental and physical health.
And I know I’m in good company here, with Nuffield Health reporting that three quarters of Brits took up a new form of exercise during the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, has there ever been a better time to release that best-selling novel that lives within us all?
It was multi award winning Japanese writer Haruki Murikami who beautifully intertwined these apparently unrelated pursuits as ‘exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits’ in his book What I talk about when I talk about running. He describes how being active every day makes it easier to hear that inner voice. You know, the same voice that pops into your head with a devastating response to convert your doubters or critics, if only it
had spoken up at the time!
On a lighter note, my favourite childhood writer, A.A. Milne shared a gentle and calming reminder about the importance of looking after your mind and body in equal measure, especially when times are testing and it’s all too easy to doubt yourself. As Piglet told Pooh;
“The things that make me different are the things that make me me.”
A.A Milne
I don’t even remember first hearing these words but, just like the finest writers of all time, the genius of the message is in its simplicity. Milne didn’t deal in ‘fancy’ language or heavy-handed lessons. But somehow, his expertly crafted words and engaging storytelling carried his readers – of all ages – along in an effortless and unforgettable journey.
Just as ‘running bores’ are more likely to turn you off the hobby than on, storytelling is not about preaching, teaching, selling or unwelcome sermons. It’s about creating immersive experiences that allow people to see their own world a little differently, even for a moment.
And, perhaps most importantly, it’s about writing that your readers will take pleasure in reading.
Consider, for example, my attitude to physical activity.
If you were to rewind a couple of decades to my younger self, anyone aiming to ‘sell me’ the benefits of running – not just for a taxi – but 2 – 3 times a week would be facing the impossible brief.
This is the girl who would do anything to avoid the school sports field and saw ‘runners’ as a strange species who pound the pavements at all hours with painful grimaces and sweat dripping from every pore. Where’s the fun in that?
Fast forward just a few years and that same girl is thoroughly miserable that a new year arm fracture has forced her running shoes into a cupboard for months. I don’t run to be ‘a runner’ or to achieve a PB or to lose weight (although I wouldn’t reject any of these). I run for the simple joy of being in the open air and feeling my lungs and heart getting a little bit stronger with each step.
Nowadays we are spoilt for choice with regards to communication channels. We can blog, vlog, tweet, tag and a multitude of other fantastically immediate options. Call me old-fashioned but – as we Tik Tok and Insta our way through life’s twists and turns, I believe that the fundamentals of powerful story-telling cuts across all channels.
So, whether your needs are more Haruki Murikami or Winnie the Pooh, pick up your pen and write from the heart.
