The people, campaigns, research and updates making an impact in our running community this month
ACTION TO GET WOMEN MOVING
There is a positive link between women’s exercise levels and their mental health. The more women move, the better they feel. But, over half (56%) of women in the UK are not exercising as much as they would like and are missing out on the physical and mental benefits, according to a study from Asics.
Women face a myriad barriers to exercise throughout their lifetime and men’s perceptions of these barriers can sometimes be very different to the reality. Encouragingly, people around the world are working to break barriers for women in sport; Asics is one such company that is shining a light on women’s stories with its new platform, Move Her Mind.
A new Asics study shows that women report feeling 52% happier, 50% more energised, 48% more confident, 67% less stressed and 80% less frustrated when regularly exercising. The study lead, Dr Dee Dlugonski, Assistant Professor at Sports Medicine Research Institute, University of Kentucky said: “When asked what could help, women noted that making movement more accessible, inclusive and recognised, while challenging society’s gendered expectations, would support them in moving more.”
As part of International Women’s Day, Asics launched their Move Her Mind platform to recognise the incredible impact of remarkable organisations and individuals, who are actively dismantling barriers for women in exercise and sport. They’re also inviting people to submit what they’re doing to help women move, as well as sharing their own resources.
Visit the Move Her Mind platform to get involved: asics.com/gb/en-gb/mk/move-her-mind
A NEW CHAPTER FOR THIS GIRL CAN CLASSES
As part of its mission to help more women be physically active, This Girl Can classes, traditionally providing routines for instructors to teach, will soon focus on supporting group exercise instructors to increase the appeal of their classes to less active women. The new look will be launched later this year. If you want to get involved, visit thisgirlcan.co.uk
MAKE SPACE FOR GIRLS
Research from Make Space For Girls, which campaigns for facilities and public spaces for teenage girls, has shown that the majority of young girls feel unsafe in local parks.
The organisation works on a ra
