Two well-known Cumbrian personalities are uniting in their message to get out and explore the outdoors.
Gary McKee and Harrison Ward have joined together during Mental Health Awareness Week to say that being out in the fresh air with nature, whether that be walking up a fell to cook dinner or running every day for a year, does ‘wonders’ for one’s mental wellbeing.
Cleator Moor’s Gary, who is running a marathon every single day this year for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria, said: “Running is a tool many use to escape; it’s a low-stress activity and studies have shown that regular running can have the same effects as medication in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression.
“Running gives you the time and opportunity to destress yourself. You can go as fast or as slow as you want. Depending on where you’re running, you can listen to music or a podcast or even learn a new language. There are so many things you can do whilst on a run, I like to take in the scenery.”
Research has shown that when you run, blood circulation to the brain is increased and the part of your brain that responds to stress and improves your mood is affected. Gary runs 26 miles every day, sometimes with a group of people. Other times he runs on his own.
“One of the things I’m enjoying most about the challenge is the number of people getting involved by either running or cycling with me or doing their own activities to help fundraise. It’s great to see so many schools getting involved, and the community has again really come together, who have also joined in the message of getting out and about,” says Gary.
“To anyone who is struggling, I would really encourage them to get outdoors and do a bit of exercise. I always feel better after a run, and it can also allow me to meet other people. I understand not everyone can run a marathon, but it doesn’t matter how far you go if you’re moving.”
The theme this year for Mental Health Awareness Week is Loneliness, Harrison who is best known as Fell Foodie from Ambleside, said: “For me, loneliness is a particularly powerful theme when it comes to mental health and facing your demons. The fact is, it is all too easy to believe you are the only person going through this and, if Mental Health Awareness Week is about anything, it is about showing you are not alone.
“I’ve lost count of the occasions I’ve enjoyed sitting on a Lake District fell top, feasting my eyes on a sunrise that seems to have been laid on by nature just for me. At the best of times, solitude gives you the chance to calmly digest your own thoughts without interference from anyone else.
“But, like almost everything in life, there are two sides to solitude, and it is always possible to have too much of a good thing. This is the point where soothing seclusion can become outright loneliness. But the fact is, except in perhaps the most extreme cases, we usually have a choice about whether to face the world on our own or seek help from others.”
One in four UK adults (25 per cent) say they have felt lonely some or all of the time over the last month, according to a by the Mental Health Foundation, with one in two saying feelings of loneliness have made them feel sad.
Gary added: “There are lots of days when I run in a group and days when I run alone but that doesn’t mean I’m a lonely runner, I keep going because each day around 1,000 people are diagnosed with cancer so that’s 1,000 reasons to carry on! I’m also inspired by the surrounding beauty, and I like being able to help other people achieve their goals.
“Remember to reach out, whether that be to a family member, friend, colleague or someone you can trust, and make sure to enjoy the beauty and natural surrounds we have tucked up here in Cumbria.”
For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw
