Why I can’t wait to get stuck in to my running routine this winter.

I’ve shared before that, for me, one of the best ways to start my working day is with an early morning run. Runners will know what I’m talking about. Few things both clear and focus your mind, keep your energy levels up for the day, and ensure you fall asleep quickly and enjoy a deeper quality of sleep, as efficiently as running and regular exercise.

But after a recent trip to Australia, an adventure I was really looking forward to after many months planning, I got the dreaded Covid-19 a week after getting home, and running had to take a back seat. Any form of exercise, doctors advise, is not recommended during the recovery period, as you run the risk of worsening the symptoms, which can lead to long-term negative effects.

The time spent in isolation made me realise more than ever is how much I’ve come to rely on that early morning fix – not being able to stretch my limbs, inhale that fresh morning air, clock my kilometres and share challenges and achievements with my running circle. It also made me think back to those days of hard lockdown in 2020, and one of the big learnings we took as a business – the importance of human connections.

It made me fall in love with Discovery Vitality all over again, and I could feel why this is a brand that people have a strong affinity for. During that dark time, we realised more than ever how much people still wanted to feel part of the Vitality family and connect with us. It was an exciting time reimagining traditional in-person touch-points such as going to the gym, participating in parkruns, and other physical activities – and transferring them online.

The biology of social isolation is fascinating and we all came face to face with it, and with ourselves. This is when people are restricted from having the social contact they would prefer to have. And one of the symptoms of isolation is increased stress. There’s a fascinating discussion on the Huberman Lab Podcasts – a series of discussions I enjoy by Andrew Huberman, who is a Neuroscientist and Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The particular episode talks about how stress chronically elevated stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which at healthy levels is good for combatting inflammation and helps with energy levels throughout the day. But when it’s continually at heightened levels – a consequence of social isolation – the immune system suffers and can apparently lead to irritability and aggression. This essentially means that extended periods of social isolation changes the nature of the brain and the body such that it makes social connection even harder. ?

Thankfully the world has reopened and all our social gatherings and engagements are back, and firmly on the social calendar. Most exciting of which is the return of the Vitality Run Series, where we’ll be hosting five incredible in-person races across Johannesburg until August 14 2022. There’s a reason we give Vitality members maximum points for taking part in races, and this time around, amazing fitness devices – we want to make running accessible and fun for everyone.

We are also committed to being a Force for Social Good, which means that many of our races are attached to organisations that make a difference in society – whether it is people with disabilities, cancer recovery, helping children in need and much more. This is why I do what I do.

After making a full recovery from Covid, no one is more gung-ho to lace up their running shoes and get back on the running circuit. I’m challenging myself to hit a few more milestones – and I’ve just completed the first one in Ireland, a half marathon in the pouring rain! While I was away, over 4,000 Vitality members just completed our first cold weather event for the season, the Rockies Gerald Fox memorial at the Joburg Zoo this weekend. I hope you will join me at many more events in our beautiful country, soon.