Restarting today - walking and running away the blues

[cheekygeeky]

I used to run and walk to keep my depression at bay. Worked instantaneously and brilliant. But due to big life changes in the last 5-6 months I gave up. My mood dipped. So today I have all my walking gear ready, my iPod charged and my route planned.

My head is saying no just stay home and wallow a little on one of your rare days off. But my heart needs this. Wish me luck. I'm posting on here so I'm accountable to myself. I know that when I come back from the walk I will be black dog free all day...... So off I go......

Good luck, I hope you enjoyed your walk. You've inspired me to go as well, thanks

You've inspired me too - also on a rare day off! Let us know how it felt :)

Hope the sun shines too. That always helps.

I managed to do a run and a walk on the weekend and I feel good for it. Aching, but all the better for clearing my head for an hour or so.

It's amazing how much it helps. I will do the same later on, and ask you how it went :)

Oh thank you all for posting. So I fought off my inner doom and went for a 55 min hilly walk. It was meant to be half an hour but once I started I wanted to just keep going. Doing hills was exhilarating, the power needed to get to the top, then the exhaustion and then the absolute relief and amazing view at the top. Followed a gentle breezy walk down a hill admiring the view, catching my breath and seeing the amazing colours smells and sounds of spring. I looked into lots if gardens and loved all the different plants and flowers. The sky was angry and grey but, like me, the sun fought its way out.

I nodded my hellos to a few walkers along the way, and smiled at them on the way back. Although I hate my body sometimes (ok, a lot of the time) today I felt proud and grateful to it for being able to walk and carry me. I sorted my thoughts and realised how absolutely beautiful the world is.

I know they say a long walk clears your head, but for me it literally does. I could feel all the cobwebs being brushed aside as I strode along to my familiar exercise tunes. If put a wash on before I went so came back, hung it out and am now sat in my garden listening to birds tweeting. I feel amazing and completely blessed. Sorry for the self indulgent cheesy post, I need to offload and remember how amazing exercise is for me. It brought back happy memories of pushing a buggy after my dec were born and literally walking off my pnd. Please share your walk stories.

What a lovely post! I am so jealous of you living near hills. Where we are it is totally FLAT and walking is so boring.

Well done for getting out into it. Next time you can't work up the motivation to get out the door you can re-read your post.

Yes elspeth that's what I'm hoping, that I can capture those happy endorphin filled feelings.

Did a 5k walk this evening and roped in my dsis. It was lovely to catch up and catch some evening sun. My bum is so achy though!

Feeling good overall and hoping I stay on track.

cheekygeeky, the description of your walk is beautiful and life affirming. Sounds so therapeutic ('mindful' too).

I find that walking makes me feel better too, the only thing is I feel odd to just walk if I'm not actually walking somewhere to do something!

But i should start walking more, glad you enjoyed your walk

Another evening walk tonight. I prefer walking in the evening as its cooler and you get to really hear the sounds of spring as its so quiet in our park. My body is achy this week though and I'm feeling tired, which is good in some ways and bad in others.

Walking has really helped me reflect and I'm feeling so so much better already.