“I started running with my Dad. He was a really good runner and he ran all the time, so back in the UK he would just take my sisters and I out and we’d go for little runs. They were kind of all over the place, we would just do little short runs, and then I got to a point where I was doing other sports so I kind of stopped running. But he carried on.
During school I danced a lot. I did ballet so I didn’t really have time for anything else. Then after school finished I started running again as I wanted to get fitter and be better for my other sports. I’d join Dad at parkrun. It was fun and I just enjoyed running with him again. He was always pushing me because I was a lot slower than him at that point. I’d be going as fast as I possibly could and I’d still need to ask him to slow down. But, I always could out-sprint him at the end! My competitiveness would kick in and I’d beat him at the finish line. Then I remember one weekend, I said I was going to go slow, that I wasn’t feeling like running very fast. And that was the first time that I actually beat him properly. He didn’t keep up, which was a really nice feeling. And after that I was like, well, I’ve got to keep pushing myself – I want to keep beating him… and actually beating him, not just him letting me win.
I kept running and then Dad and I decided that we would run a half marathon together. We were living in different cities at the time and both training separately, but we chose the half marathon in the city he was born, which is Nottingham. We promised we’d stay together for the whole race because I’d never done a distance that long. He’s so good at pacing, he always knows exactly what splits he’s doing, whereas I have absolutely no idea. So it was the perfect combination on the day, the two of us just pushing each other to get to the finish. And we ran over the line hand in hand (with a little bit of a sprint), but it was just a really nice experience. Although afterward I actually said I’d never ever run again. Just before the race I’d got really bad shin splints and he had had an Achilles problem. Plus I dislocated my shoulder a week before the race – so as nice as it was, it was just a bit chaotic and I said I was never going to do it again. That was my retirement run.
Then I think I got to a point where I was really stressed at work and I was finding everything a bit too much. My mental health was going on a big decline and so I started running again. It was the one thing that just completely cleared my brain. I’d run with no music, nothing, just literally running and not having to focus on anything else. I was running a lot and would run most days. I’d be stressed before a night shift so I’d just wake up early and do a really quick 2K just to get out and get moving, and then I’d feel better going into work.
I was still doing my parkruns most weeks and then when I moved to New Zealand, parkrun was the thing that meant I had people. Every Saturday I knew I could go to a parkun and it would be somewhere I would meet people. I’d chat to others during the run – I don’t think I’ve been to a single parkrun where I haven’t chatted to somebody. Then I’d go for coffees after.
It’s just been such a nice way of enjoying running, with no other purpose than to socialise and keep fit. I’ve run the Kepler up to Luxmore Hut a few times and it’s been fun each time because I’ve been with people and it’s been social. I haven’t done an official half marathon race again though but….
I have signed up for one with my sister. So when I go back to the UK in summer, I am running the Bristol Half Marathon with her. She’s never really ran that far as she’s just started doing parkruns and the Couch to 5K, but has challenged herself to a half and I said I’d run it with her.
I think the greatest thing about running is that every place I’ve been, running has been how I’ve made my friends. The support and the chats are so good and make you feel less lonely in new places.”
Hannah @_hannah_jackson
(Fiordland)
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Portraits of Runners + their stories
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