Just over a year ago, I ran my first half marathon – and in doing so, not only made myself feel as though I really could achieve anything, but also raised a decent amount of money for an Alzheimer’s charity.
I’m not quite sure what happened over the winter months – although if I’m brutally honest I think that alcohol had a fair bit to do with it – but I more or less lost my running mojo. Bright new kit from capsule fitness brand Bellum Active went some way towards helping me push through the post-festive fug, but unfortunately, I’m not the sort of person for whom “it’s good for you” is enough of a motivation – nope, I have to make life hard for myself and set myself a tangible ‘challenge’ – the tougher, the better!
Hands up if you can relate? I think it’s a personality thing – some people crave the mental fist pump of a goal-based achievement; for other people, just doing something that feels good is enough. In any case, I’m now signed up to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October and, sure enough, my trainers are getting laced on and the pavements are being hit with impressive enthusiasm and regularity.
In learning more about dementia while training for my last half, however, I discovered that there’s far more to keeping fit than looking good in a swimsuit – exercise also plays a key role in mental health, not only in terms of releasing endorphins and boosting mood – thus making it a good weapon in staving off depression – but also in terms of reducing the risk of dementia, especially as you reach your 40s and beyond.
Of course, on top of the usual obstacle of time (lack of it), which every age group seems to suffer from, there’s also the fact that physical activity gets a bit harder as you get older. Maybe having babies has taken its toll, perhaps you’ve sustained a few sporting injures over the years, or perhaps you’re just not quite as strong as you were when you were in your 20s – it’s ageing, it happens. But you should really try not to let that deter you – a recent study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlighted that people aged 50 plus should continue to exercise to keep the mind sharp, demonstrating that thinking and memory skills were most improved when the heart and muscles were regularly exercised.
As an over-40 with inevitably depleting collagen levels, I’ve been taking
Active Gold Collagen Forte ® for reasons of aesthetics, in an effort to keep my skin as plump, firm and youthful as possible. I’ve been incredibly impressed with the results – but it seems that collagen is also vital to my ability to exercise. Not only does it account for around 30% of the bones’ composition, but it’s also essential for healthy cartilage and joints. It seems almost funny to me, the fact that something I’ve been ingesting for the sake of my skin (and, let’s face it, my vanity) could have an impact on my physical abilities and therefore on my mental acuity, but there it is – as is often the way with matters of physical and mental health, everything is linked.
And I’m not the only woman in my 40s who’s taking steps to keep my brain and body in tip top condition. Figures from The Royal Parks team demonstrate that, since the race began, the numbers of women in the 35-65+ age group have increased dramatically – growing from 21% of female runners in 2008 to 33% last year. So even without the ultimate goal of my own health and wellbeing to run for, there’s a whole load of female inspiration out there.
Charity places for the Royal Parks Half Marathon are still available, including for Alzheimer’s Society – a full list of of charities is available on the Royal Parks Half website.