THE SELF-HELP POWER OF RUNNING

After the explosion that shattered Beirut in August, I felt that my world itself collapsed. Having friends and family there meant that the crisis hit home. I could no longer focus, work or sleep. I felt numb. While I drifted away from normality, I realised there was one thing I could not stop doing – and that is running. I could not imagine a better way to channel my grief, shock and frustration.

And that’s what I love about running. It’s a powerful medium for channelling negativity. I know that by continuing to run, I may not have changed the world, but I certainly changed mine. It was my way of telling my head, heart and soul to keep going, keep living and keep hoping.

Lara Ghaoui, Milton Keynes