Running
In the latest episode of the Why I Run podcast, Australian triathlete Courtney Atkinson discusses the benefits of running beyond trophies and accolades.
Courtney Atkinson has been lacing up his trainers for more than two decades. And while the triathlete and ultra runner has successfully secured many elite championships, what running ultimately brings to his life is more basic: a sense of well-being that we all can relate to.
The first episode of the new Why I Run podcast series puts a focus on creativity, with Atkinson revealing not only why he still vibes on running every day, but how hitting the trail serves as a springboard for his ideas. Read on for a taste of what you’ll hear.
“I run for a lot of the same reasons that everyone runs for. Number one, it makes you feel good"
Atkinson says that these days, the joy he takes in running is much the same as when he was a kid. “I get those same feelings now as a 40-year-old guy taking new forest running routes – in the mud, in the rainforest, under waterfalls,” he shares. “That's what running means to me at the moment.”
Hear more about Atkinson’s everyday runs in the podcast below:
Why I Run continues weekly with new guests and themes, right up to the Wings for Life World Run. Listen to the podcast series here and follow Why I Run on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon and wherever you listen to podcasts.
“I think you find your flow when running”
Atkinson may not be creative by profession – like his fellow Why I Run guest, award-winning poet and novelist Helen Mort – but he does love to innovate, and ideas come to him on his runs.
“My mind starts to wander,” he says. “True creativity is your mind going wherever it wants to go, and I get to places I'd never find if I was sitting in front of a computer or on the couch.”
“What I'm really focused on now is bringing creativity to events”
Atkinson is excited to see more and more people take an interest in running all kinds of events, whether they’re learning how to run a 5km, doing marathon training or targeting cross country running records. That’s why he’s constantly dreaming up ideas for encouraging people to participate in fresh new ways.
“Running has become such a trend and it's very simple, right? You grab a pair of shoes, you do a 10k race, a 5k race. It's a bit of a badge of honour these days,” explains Atkinson. “The reason I love running is that it’s my time to play, so I'm trying to find ideas where if I think that I'm going to enjoy it, I'd hope other people are going to love it.”
“I don't think I’ve missed a Wings for Life World Run"
Atkinson is currently gearing up for the Wings for Life World Run, where he’ll be part of the Why I Run podcast team. The charity run to find a cure for spinal cord injury has a creative format of its own with a Catcher Car finish line that chases the participants.
“When you see the car coming for you, that's what makes it different from other races," says Atkinson. "If people have a goal – let's say 7k, 15k or 30k – they find a little bit extra than they thought they'd be able to do.”
No matter where you are, you can be part of the Why I Run team in the Wings for Life World Run. Sign up here.