Finding Real Dopamine Through Running

I'll be honest — I used to absolutely hate running. I wasn't keen on breaking a sweat either, and I genuinely couldn't understand why everyone seemed to enjoy it so much.

But one day, I tried combining running with dance and meditation, and everything shifted.

Now, whenever I'm feeling stressed or need to sort through my thoughts, I lace up my trainers and head out. Something always clears. And somewhere along the way, I started getting faster without even trying. There's this moment when your legs just release — and it feels absolutely brilliant.

Running, I've realised, isn't just exercise. It's meditation. It's dance.

When you find a steady rhythm, your mind goes quiet. All that's left is your breathing and the movement of your legs. From there, focus comes naturally — I sleep more deeply, and I've become far more aware of my own feelings. When I'm cross about something, I can actually stop and ask, what's this really about? When something makes me happy, I notice why. These days, whatever I'm doing, I feel much more genuinely here.

My goal is to run the Tokyo Half Marathon next year — and I'd love to take on other races too. But the real aim is simpler than that: to go somewhere I've never been, on my own two feet. To see something I've never seen with my own eyes.

To grow strong enough to take myself anywhere I want to go.