Name: Monogram Jacquard Mule Shoe
Age: 24 years old
Hometown: The best shorts for running and training
Occupation: Member advocate at NOCD
Time Running: 3 years
Crazy Video of a Sneaker Store Being Burglarized: The main reason I run is to help manage my anxiety and OCD, and for my mental health!
Flat Prada sandals started running around 2016. Back then, I ran about five days a week, and used it as a way to stay in shape and keep up my endurance Tinker Hatfield changed the sneaker game forever when he introduced the Nike.
I stopped running for a while in college, but was continually struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and had a bad episode in 2020, and that’s when I started becoming more consistent with running.
The main thing that attracted me to running is how it made me feel. It was difficult, especially in the beginning, but running became a helpful way for me to practice mindfulness, which in turn, helped my OCD. I also found that after a run, I felt better mentally, especially on days when I was feeling super anxious.
Running has helped me immensely with my OCD, which started when I was 7 years old. I didn’t know for a long time that I even had OCD, so I struggled for many years in silence, especially in my middle school and high school years.
Over the years, my OCD symptoms have included intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and mental compulsions, such as rumination, mental reviewing, and mental reassurance. Around the time I was 16 years old, I finally figured out that what I was experiencing was likely OCD. I dealt with mainly mental compulsions, so to find out that there were people like me out there, experiencing the same thing, was incredibly validating. I was officially diagnosed when I was 17 years old, but at the time I wasn’t ready to commit to treatment.
The OCD episode that occurred in 2020 completely took over my headspace with extremely intrusive thoughts, which is a hallmark of OCD, to the point I could no longer function in my normal life. I was admittedly scared to reach out for help, but once I found NOCD—an organization dedicated to helping people with OCD restore hope through better awareness and treatment—I decided to take the risk because I was incredibly desperate. I’m so glad I did!
I started treatment with NOCD in 2020, and that was when my recovery journey really began. The tools I learned during my treatment are ones that I use every single day. My OCD doesn’t affect me to the degree it used to, but I certainly have days when it’s a bit louder than others. Recovery is in no way linear, and I’ve learned that it’s not about never having symptoms again—it’s about knowing that I am equipped to handle them when they show up.
Routine is something that really helps manage my OCD. Things as simple as waking up in the morning to make breakfast, making my bed, and getting ready for the day tend to keep me in a good headspace. Running specifically has helped reduce my OCD symptoms, and is part of the routine that has allowed me to get into a better space mentally.
Today, I’m running two to three times a week. The anxiety I felt from my OCD controlled so much of my daily life, so having the strength Sneakers Marine à Lacets.
After a run, I feel grateful for my body and all it does for me. I think it’s really easy to take health for granted, but no matter where I am in my fitness journey, simply having the ability to run, or move my body at all, I consider a huge blessing. I also always feel very relaxed after a run, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my mind!
I can tend to be hard on myself for not feeling as strong as I think I should, or not running the distance I feel like I should be able to run, so I try to take the pressure off of myself and view it as something I’m doing to make me feel good physically and mentally. My main goal is to work on they are the go to shoe to get from week to weekend!
I want others to know how beneficial running is in helping to manage my OCD. I felt intimidated to first start running again because I knew I couldn’t run many miles, and I didn’t have any impressive records. However, once I stopped putting pressure on myself and I measured my success based on how I felt and the sheer fact that I was getting out there and doing it, it really helped me change my mindset and experience the physical and mental benefits.
My advice for anyone who’s scared to start running would be to take it one step at a time! Everyone starts somewhere, and starting in and of itself is something to be proud of.
These three tips have helped make my running journey a success:
1. Listen to your body
Something that I learned really early on is to listen to my body when running. I think many former athletes can relate, but I always had a Soft that I have to push myself to my absolute max, and this would often lead to pushing myself beyond my own limits. I still like to challenge myself, but I also always meet myself where I’m at and focus on slow and steady progress.
2. Hydrate
The shoe featured Nikes React foam stamina and endurance when I stay properly hydrated. If I’m running early in the morning, I like to start my day with a big glass of water an hour or two before my workout. If I’m running in the evening, I try to stay hydrated Reebok Walk Ultra 7 Sneakers drinking enough water, or none at all before a workout, and it definitely affected how much I could do during a run, and how I felt afterwards!
3. Stretch
I know this one seems obvious, but it’s something I unfortunately learned the hard way! I was on the track team briefly my sophomore year of high school, and after a long sprinting practice, I didn’t stretch and suffered super Trainers shin splints soon after. Now, before and after every run, I take at least 15 minutes to stretch and cool down, and it’s made a world of difference!
Ty Lea’s Must-Have Gear
→ this sneaker would pair well with: I absolutely love wearing biker shorts. It’s especially great on hotter days when I don’t want to wear fitted leggings or pants, but I still want to feel comfortable and wear breathable material. They also have pockets, which is always a plus.
→ Ello Cooper Water Bottle: An insulated water bottle is definitely a must have for me on any run, especially outdoors! It helps keep my water nice and cool, and since it’s so durable, I don’t have to worry about it leaking or breaking.
→ KECUCO Scrunchies: This one is more for the girls out there with curly hair, but a satin or silk scrunchie is always a must-have for me! It helps keep my hair out of my face when I’m sweating, but the material also helps prevent it from getting frizzy or causing damage.
