5k the Health in Mind Way

Our amazing colleague Lynne explains why she signed up for the EMF 5k to support local mental health services. 

My name is Lynne and in May 2025 I ran my first 5k for Health in Mind. I work for the charity, so I see everyday the difference the support we provide makes to people. And I wanted to do something that both helped support the services we have and helped raise awareness for the services we have, so people know who to turn to when they need help. 

I was diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression back in 2014, before I started working for Health in Mind, so this is a personal charity for me in more ways than one. 

Why running?

I signed up for the challenge because I was cheering people over the finish line in 2024 and just got so inspired. I signed up that weekend.

My 5 tips for completing the Couch to 5k

1. Sign up for a 5k – I’ve tried the Couch to 5k a few times before and never got past week 3 before. This time, because I knew I had a race I was aiming for, it really motivated me to get back out there. 
2. Repeat a run – Don’t feel you have to go from run to run. I found week 3 run 2 a struggle, so I went back and did week 2 again. This really helped because I knew I could already run this as I’d done it before and it helped build my confidence back up. I then found week 3 much easier.
3. Don’t worry about times or distances – About week 7 I signed up to Strava and had a look at the time and distance I was running. I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you are doing it from the start. I found it to be very distracting.
4. Speak to people – I like running alone – it means I can go at my own pace, and I like time by myself. But I did chat to people and found someone else at work who was doing the Couch to 5k. It was great to be able to catch-up with how we were both doing. Just hearing from others about how they’re finding it, and knowing you have a shared goal. That was lovely.  
5. Record yourself – Yes I was recording myself so I could log the journey for Health in Mind, but actually it was a real motivator. I could see myself breathing easier by run 3 each week. And I could remind myself of the runs I really enjoyed. If you don’t want to film yourself, take a photo at the end of the run. Oh, and definitely do the warm ups!! 

My 5 unexpected benefits of taking part in a race

1. You are part of a community – I know this seems fairly obvious, because it is a group of runners. But I didn’t know anyone else running the race on race day. And yet I was able to chat to people around me, find out what brought them out. Helping cheer people on as you’re making your way round the course (and be cheered on yourself).  
2. Seeing the city through new eyes – I’ve lived in Edinburgh on and off, in different locations, I’ve walked that route so many times. But it was great seeing it so alive with people. Not just the runners, but the wonderful spectators. You can see views you’ve never really noticed before. 
3. How wonderful the spectators are – EMF is so well supported for people cheering you on, especially for the 5k and 10k. There are so many people around the start and end of the route. It’s also easy for family and friends to find spots to cheer you on too.
4. How lovely it is to run for charity – It was great to meet the other runners who were running for Health in Mind. Whether that was part of the runners meet-ups ahead of the event, or on the day too. I felt a part of something, and that together we were making a big difference – both the money we’re raising, but also raising awareness for mental health problems and support too. It feels like an important way that people can find out there is help out there.
5. Crossing the finish line – That feeling of completing something just felt amazing! I wasn’t sure I was going to manage it, and my training had been a little stop start too. But to cross it, and to know you’ve crossed it, that is fabulous. And it’s not just you, it’s the people around you too. Honestly, no better feeling. 

Why running works so well for the 5 Ways to Wellbeing

1. Be active – It feels pretty obvious how running supports the Be Active bit of the 5 Ways, but in training for an event, I really was getting more active than I had been for a while. The regularity of getting out there, and working towards something, that felt different to my usual walking commutes everyday.
2. Connect – I think everyone notices the runners out and about, but when I was out and about I definitely felt a part of something. And it’s more than that – I met people who were also doing the Couch to 5k and we could compare notes about how we were finding it. And going into a shop to buy new trainers led to further connections thanks to the shared activity. Race day itself, as you are grouped by time, the people around you usually have a shared experience of running.
3. Notice – Getting out and about for a run every other day also helped me take notice of the world around me. Whether it’s noticing a slight incline that you didn’t notice before to seeing a badger snuffling around one evening, it is just fantastic. You can watch the seasons change, the days getting brighter, or how it feels running in different weather. And it’s not just the world around you that you notice, you also notice the impact the run is having on you. Each week you can go a little further, or recover a little quicker.
4. Keep learning – For me, this was a new activity and aiming for a distance. I was learning how to run distances, how to look after my body with the stretches. I was learning from others in how they approached their training, how they approached an event, how they prepared. This made the whole experience much better as I could feel myself improving as I learned more. 
5. Give – It was a fantastic feeling to achieve the training and run the event, as well as raising funds that I knew made a difference to other’s mental health. By wearing my t-shirt, I was letting people know the help was available. And by sharing my sponsorship page with friends and family I raised the equivalent of 4 counselling sessions, or training 2 peer volunteers. How cool is that! 

Final tips for race day

1. Don’t wear new shoes – Really really don’t. I switched trainers mid-way through my training and I am so glad that I did this in plenty of time before the event.
2. Invite people along – They can hold your things as you run, which is always good, but it really does make a difference having someone who knows you and shouts your name. It feels lovely to see their faces and gives you a little boost. And Health in Mind are great, Kirsty, our Community and Events Fundraiser, was cheering us on too.
3. Chat to people – I met a lot of great people who had either started with a 5k, or were like me and doing the couch to 5k. Everyone had tips to share and things to remember.
4. Make sure you know what to expect – I hadn’t realized the headphones I used in training weren’t allowed, so I suddenly had to change what I was doing during the event. From anything to where the bag drop is, the toilets, and the route, it’s good to be prepared if you can be and know what you can and can’t do. 
5. You’ll miss your coach – Be prepared to miss whoever you chose to lead you through the couch to 5K. For me it was Denise, and I really did miss her enthusiasm and check-ins in the runs after I’d finished.