A chat with Rosie, Run Talk Run Bristol

This week we are chatting to Rosie! Rosie’s story is pretty awesome as she didn’t even intend to become a RTR Leader until the regularity of her Wednesday runs in Bristol saw her taking the reigns of the run further down the line. Rosie is so beautifully honest about her diagnosis of bipolar and highlights how there is still such a stigma around this. We hope you enjoy, and are inspired to join her for a run sometime soon…

Tell us a bit about your running and/or mental health journey so far. 

At school, I hated PE, and I spent years of my life doing very little exercise. I started the couch to 5k podcast programme in 2017, the year after my first major breakdown. It took me several goes to make it to the end of the programme, but it helped me build up my fitness slowly, and I was amazed when I managed to run 5km without stopping – something I achieved only once. At that point, I wouldn't have said that I could run, or that I was a runner, and when I first went to Run Talk Run Bristol in 2019, it had been about a year since I'd run at all. 

What brought you to Run Talk Run specifically?

I first found out about RTR via Instagram, as a girl I knew posted about it. She said it was for all paces and even for beginners. I didn't really believe her, or get how that worked. I knew that she did a lot of exercise and the people in the photo all looked very fit and like 5k wouldn't be a challenge for them. I was also interested but unsure about the mental health side of it. I had done a lot of therapy so was used to talking about my mental health, although I still carried a lot of internalised stigma about my diagnosis – bipolar disorder. How would it come up at the running group? Would we have to state our diagnosis at the beginning, like some sort of grim role call? Despite my concerns, I was intrigued. I messaged my friend about it, and after a few weeks of thinking about it, I went along. 

That evening, it was just me and my friend, who was acting as temporary leader. I told her I probably wouldn't be able to run 5km as it had been so long, and she said that was fine. She was incredibly encouraging, and kept telling me how well I was doing – complimenting me on my pace and giving me small achievable targets to aim for. In the end, we ran just over 5k together, the furthest I'd ever run. While we were jogging, we talked a little bit about my work and the effect it had on my mental health, but only briefly, and not in a huge amount of detail. Mostly, we chatted about writing, and about our careers. 

At the end, I felt triumphant, proud and full of adrenaline. I couldn't believe I had run so far and that it hadn't been that difficult. I resolved to go back. I kept going back week after week, and eventually ended up taking over as leader of the Bristol group. I still often only run once a week on a Wednesday, and sometimes I need to walk, run, walk. But I also know that that is absolutely fine at RTR, even as a leader. 

In what ways does running (and RTR!) help you?

I think there's something really comforting in knowing that there's a space once a week for me to reflect on how I am. I'll admit that there are some weeks that I dread going to RTR. Sometimes it's really dark, cold and rainy, sometimes it's boiling hot. Sometimes I just really don’t feel like talking to people, let alone standing in front of them explaining how RTR works. But I never fail to feel better after our run, and I never ever regret going, even when I'm walking home sopping wet. The combination of the chat and the exercise works every single time, and I love how open and honest I can be about my mental health, and know that there is absolutely no judgment.  I've also met some fantastic people, and made some wonderful friends. 

What would you say to someone who was nervous about coming to a Run Talk Run?

I'd say that I was nervous too at first, but that it's worth giving it a go. We really do mean it when we say that all levels are welcome, and if you need to walk parts of it that is absolutely fine. Also, we're a friendly bunch, and everyone who is at RTR was new (and probably nervous) once. If you can walk and talk, and are interested in jogging, then RTR is for you. 

Join Rosie and the RTR Bristol team every Wednesday at Starks Fitness, 2 Glass Wharf. Meet at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start.