MEN'S HEALTH WEEK 2023
Posted 12th June 2023
For Men’s Health Week 2023, we asked some of our Fitmums & Friends men to tell us their Fitmums & Friends story. Below Lee, Kevin, Alasdair, Paul, Josh and Martin share how being active with Fitmums & Friends helps them feel happier, healthier and more connected.
If their stories make you feel like you could get something out of Fitmums & Friends, please find out more about us. Find the best session for you, get in touch to ask a question, or check out our socials: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. We hope to see you at a session soon!
Lee
"When Market Weighton first suggested the idea of a Fitmums & Friends group, I was unsure. I have a good friend who had been a part of the organisation for some time, but I was just getting back into running after a near 30-year layoff and my experiences as a teenager in those days were of competitive groups with no time for anything other than training.
Plus I'm a bloke, and this is "Fitmums"!
Still, I went along to the open evening and found it very welcoming with a few more men there which made me feel less conspicuous. Since then, I have returned many times when home on leave. It doesn't matter if I'm feeling great and doing a 6-mile run pushing myself, or returning from an injury layoff and testing myself with a 2-mile run, a warm welcome is found every time.
I can say with all honesty that I've never left feeling down. No matter what mood I'm in or how much the day is getting on top of me, at 18:30 on a Tuesday I know that by 20:00 I'll be feeling great, and that's down to the people you run with just as much as the running itself.
This picture is of me with my shipboard running companion: the dreadmill!"
Kevin
"This picture of me wouldn’t have been taken without the help and support of the sisterhood. From major surgery to running and completing the London Marathon, Fitmums & Friends has been with me every step of the way and beyond. I would urge anyone who wants to get out and join an inclusive, affordable fitness club to get involved. #IAMAFITMUM"
Alasdair
"I arrived back in the UK in 2022 after 20 years abroad. I was primarily working from home (sitting in front of a computer most of the day) and living in a new region where we had never lived before, so it was important to me to get some physical exercise. I’d never run before but saw some publicity for Fitmums & Friends so decided to join the Cottingham club. This was a great decision, and I’ve enjoyed twice-weekly sessions running in groups and the chats on the way. You run at your own pace; there’s always someone there to pace you or double back to ensure you don’t get left behind. And getting out for those sessions gives you a break from the computer and makes you more effective."
Paul
"I can’t recommend Fitmums & Friends enough!!! I have made some great friends since joining the club and the support that everyone gives each other is incredible.
It’s such a great release from the stresses of work and Thursday night at Beverley Fitmums & Friends has quickly become a highlight of my week."
Josh
"Joining Fitmums & Friends has made me connected to a new community away from social media, helping me achieve things I never thought possible not long ago."
Martin
"I have no problem sharing that I have had a period in my life when my mental health went south. That darker time in my life was about 12 years ago, I was 49 and two years from retirement. My military and policing careers had taken their toll on both my physical and mental health.
I made some changes and without doubt one of the biggest contributions to getting better and staying better was to get fitter. In post-retirement years, I was introduced to Fitmums & Friends. I was never going to be the best or fastest, but I soon learnt that being fit was not about being better than anyone else, it was just about being better than I used to be.
It is said the hardest thing about running or getting fit is getting started. That is pretty true but making that first step towards getting fit is probably the greatest investment I ever made in myself. I am now 61 but far more resilient to life’s challenges. I am stronger and fitter, I look and feel so much better, and I am just far better equipped to get the most out of life.
Thankfully, we are far more able to talk about mental health and how we are feeling. Running is a great chance to chat and share how we and others are; sometimes just being listened to can help us let off steam and feel better.
Below is a photo from a day back when I was able to share a fantastic 9-mile route with a fellow Fitmums & Friends friend. We ran a section of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. We enjoyed clear blue skies, warm sunny weather, and the views were stunning. At one point, we stopped to watch a red kite soaring just above us – I think our own spirits were just as high. I loved that run and placed it as my best feel-good run of 2023.
The social interaction and benefits that come with running and getting fit cannot be replicated online, not via a PC, laptop or phone, etc. If you want to really connect, then get unplugged and give yourself some you-time and real time. You may just find a better, happier and fitter version of you."
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