3 Sweat and Tears Marathon Runners Tell Us About Running and Mental Health

Three very special participants are running on behalf of Buxton and the mental health charity MIND at the London Marathon, raising awareness on the importance of staying hydrated and mental well-being.

Sweat and Tears have kindly shared the specific challenges that they’ve faced and how marathon training has been a great mental health resource. With Marathon Day approaching, check out their inspiring stories.

Eva tells us about marathon training after an injury

Eva shares how a torn ACL from a skiing accident impacted her physical and mental well-being. With perseverance, she’s been able to train for this year’s marathon!

When Eva was asked about her relationship with running and her injury, she replied: “Running has always been a constant for me to manage stress, have headspace and time out for myself. I was on a ski trip in 2022 when I tore my ACL. I had to completely relearn how to use my knee and leg again. Sport is my passion and to have that taken away overnight was a really hard thing for me.”

Eva went on to tell us about the mental health lessons she has learnt through this experience: “Things will pass. It will get better. When you’re in a real low you just can’t see a way out but it does get better. It’s the simplest phrase but it is true. Little steps add up to big things.”

The London Marathon attracts runners from around the world. When asked why the London Marathon? Eva replied: “It’s just the biggest and the best, isn’t it? You’re surrounded by the vast majority of runners who are raising money for charities and the crowds are amazing. Plus, I live in London so it’s great to be running around these streets.”

Eva shared even more wisdom with us, so make sure to see her full interview here. You can also support Eva raise money for charity through her Just Giving page.

Lesley reveals how running helped her mental health when work pressure was at an all-time high

As a Vice Principle, a lot of work pressure started to impact Lesley’s mental health. By finding a new interest in running, Lesley helped herself to get back to her best. Have a read!

When talking about the mental health struggles Lesley has faced in recent years, she replied: “Back in 2019 I secured my headship, which was my ultimate goal career-wise. I wanted to have a big impact across as many children as I could. But with that comes incredible pressure and stress and it started to affect my everyday life. The thoughts I had scared me.”

Lesley found that running helped her to overcome the mental health struggles she was facing: “It’s about determination and resilience. One step in front of the other. And they are small steps in the right direction. I’ve always wanted to do a marathon. For me, there’s a link with mental health. It’s that journey. Training for a marathon is hard, but life is hard. It’s all about those parallels.”

For Lesley, the London Marathon is a goal which is supporting her well-being: “Absolutely. Exercise was always key and a real driver in my own well-being. There’s a real focus and it reflects the journey I've been on with my mental health. There are knockbacks but you come through it with the right support.”

To hear Lesley’s full journey, read her full interview here. You can also support Lesley in raising money through her Just Giving page

Sha shares how finding community in running helped with his mental health

Sha tells us how finding community and unlearning childhood behaviours helped manage his mental health struggles. Seeking solace in marathon training, Sha aims to help others. See what he’s revealed below.

When asked what shaped his mental health journey, Sha replied: “When I was 10 years old my dad had some mental health issues. Coming from an Asian background, I was told not to share this for fear of being treated differently or being embarrassed in the local community or family. This experience basically made me internalise any difficulties or problems I had from a young age.”

Sha took up running and shared how this supported his mental health: “Running was my salvation. When I started struggling with my mental health, running became massive. It became an escape for me. It gave me so much and it still does to this day. That’s why I created Be More You – I wanted to give back and make a difference to runners’ lives. For me, running definitely improves my confidence and makes me feel better about myself. It really supports my mental health. It’s my therapy.”

And this isn’t all that he shared with us – make sure to take a look at Sha’s full interview here. You can also support Sha in raising money for charity through his Just Giving page.

We hope you enjoyed reading The Buxton Runner’s interviews as much as we did. As you can see, their mental resilience is inspiring and we’re wishing them the best for the London Marathon 2023.

For more marathon running and training tips, make sure to see our guides. We even have an article on the benefits of exercise – take a look.