Being social at Can Walk Can Run
Physical activity and social connectedness
A reminder that we are piloting this program to learn about how to support community-based physical activity after cancer – and a part of that is learning what people consider important. Several people who completed the baseline questionnaire commented that one thing they wanted to get out of participation was social connection and interaction, including with people who have been through a similar experience. For this reason, I thought it would be nice to recap some of the conversations that I’ve had while working on this program:
1. Gardening and farming. At least two people at CWCR have an interest in growing food or improving soil and could see themselves doing this as more than just a hobby (maybe in another life).
2. Walk or run with or without music? For me and Catherine it is no thanks. Molly and Mel seem to be a yes, blast it! What about you?
3. Favourite running shoes? Mine are an old pair of Nike Terra Kiger’s. They fit my foot well, have good arch support and padding on the sole, and the orange and blue colouring was always fun. My pair have been too loved, given too many KM’s, and have been admired (chewed) by my dog so have mostly been relegated to a pair of shoes to commute cycle in.
4. Where to get walking and running shoes in Melbourne? I would recommend stores like Paddy Palin or Bogong equipment in the city for walking, hiking, or trail running shoes. The running company in Clifton Hill and Yarraville are usually pretty good for running shoes. Up There Athletics has some very stylish and hip running shoes and apparel - it might come with a bit of a ++ price tag but could be worth it if you want something fun.
5. The benefits of physical activity on mental health and the ‘runners high’. Some of us were feeling a bit flat pre run on Tuesday and would have been happy just to get coffee and have a chat. But then we ran and all said we felt better for it. There is actually a lot of evidence that physical activity can improve mental health - and sometimes after more intense exercise you can experience a very strong mood boost. After our Tuesday morning session I thought I was going to write the newsletter on this but I found someone got there first (by 10+ years): link
Adding a little science back in. Physical activity obviously can provide some social opportunity. And social connectedness as well as social modelling can help support physical activity engagement and adherence. But can it also improve our ability to be social? I had a look online and found an experimental study that suggests participating in physical activity can improve trust and induce prosocial behaviours. I then found a review that proposes that exercise – even single short bouts – can affect social cognition in part via triggering the release of oxytocin. Links to these if you’re interested: Experiment & review
And finally we are always looking to extend our reach. More people helps us be more social. It also helps us learn more about what this program should look like and increases the likelihood CWCR can become something that is offered in communities after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. If you know of anyone who might be interested please encourage them to register their interest. And if you have any marketing suggestions please forward them on :)
