Parenting in Sussex: Consistency is key for my mental health

That being said, I’d be grateful if you could briefly indulge my showing off to hopefully allow me to make a wider point about parenting and family life.

Thanks.

Last month, I received an award. I was named a Hall of Fame Superstar on the app linked to the heart rate monitor belt I always wear when I’m exercising.

This means that for the past six years straight I have achieved the minimum required points in the app each month for it to be considered a successful month. That’s each and every month, no breaks, for 72 months.

I’ve always been a regular exerciser, but I’d never logged it per se until Covid set in. I wanted to keep myself accountable at a time when it would be easy to drop out of physical pursuits.

So, I started wearing my heart rate monitor every time I exercised. In those first months, I completed exercise classes I watched on a tablet in my garden. When Covid restrictions lifted, I started running outside more and left my gym.

Now, I only run outside. In all weathers, and in all seasons. I run in the rain, the ice, even the snow on occasion, in the warm sunshine, on muggy days, with the wind holding me back or pushing me along.

To get the points I need I have to complete around 12/13 monthly runs, always running a distance of at least 5km.

And I’ve still managed to get the required 1,300 points in the months when I had Covid or was otherwise ill, in the months we’ve been abroad on holiday, and when life has been extremely busy. It’s not always been easy, but I feel a real sense of achievement in knowing I’ve persevered even when it’s been tough.

I know that running is not just good for my physical health, but at this point it’s become almost imperative for my mental health. I love and I need that time to myself, when all I have to think about is putting one foot in front of the other on the pavement. I don’t have to worry about the 101 things that need doing in the house, and for that half an hour or so I can let my mind wander.

I think the time to clear my head helps me be a better parent, and I hope seeing their mum take part in regular exercise sets a good example for my children.

So while I don’t want to brag, I think it’s probably okay to pat myself on the back for a job well done.

And now if you don’t mind, I’m going to pop out for a run to celebrate!