14 January 2025
For a rehabilitation “with no finish line”
In this episode Jasmine Abbasi, Criminology Student at Napier University – Edinburgh, interviews Runforever CEO Paolo Maccagno for understanding the impact of Running-Based Rehabilitation programs in Scottish Prisons. Jasmine’s research aims to explore how running affect the physical and mental well-being of prisoners and people, community building, social integration, and challenges faced by participants involved in these programs. She is particularly interested in exploring the goals of Runforever program, the benefits experienced by participants, and any challenges faced in delivering the initiatives.
Runforever is recently receiving consideration for what it is doing which is not just delivering projects and looking for immediate results but trying to inspire by the practices it proposes (running and Feldenkrais). These practices have a healing potential which could be transformative not just of the individual lives of prisoners but also creating the ground for systemic change in the institution.
Interview-conversation: Jasmine Abbasi, Criminology Student at Napier University – Edinburgh, interviews Paolo Maccagno as part of her Honours Project
0:00 Runningstories show trailer
15’(JA) What is the first aim of Runforever? (PM) About bringing running and Feldenkrais as transformative practices and building self-trust in the individual especially long distance running
4’20 Everyone is a winner!
4’50 (JA) Has Runforever helped prisoners in their social skills? (PM) Marathon running is a collective ritual. In a marathon, especially towards the end, you become one body with the body of the others. At that point you support the others because you depend on them and they on you.
10’50 We have seen how long distances had an effect on people in prison. For example, during a half marathon that we organized inside the prison, runners helped each other to finish the race and organized to run it together in small groups. It’s about team-work and accepting to match one’s own pace with others’.
13’50 (JA) Have you seen changes on the physical and mental health of people in prison? (PM) A few stories about runners. The story of one of them wanting to phone his dad after the first run.
17’50 (JA) Would you say that running as a rehabilitation programme can have an impact on people released from prison and helping them to reintegrate? (PM) Running offers a space to feel that we can all be runners. Running is a cheap sport and this allows people with financial issues to be able to do it regardless
23’40 (JA) Have you noticed a change in people in prison after a run? (PM) In this regard another story. A prisoner said that his way of understanding if it was a good run depends on how patient he feels with others.
25’15 (JA) Which challenges did you have to overcome in doing what you do in prison? (PM) You need a social-institutional identity. Started in 2016 thanks to Familiesoutside and now recently with Runforever. You need a very good collaboration with prison staff.
29’40 Running and Feldenkrais as practices for suggesting systemic change and fostering a cultural shift towards a different way of rehabilitation. Longer distances can in fact offer a different way for imagining rehabilitation. This should not focus on results but on the existential transformation and growth that can happen in the individual. As it is for the marathon, rehabilitation should be a process “with no finish line”.
34’11 (PM) Why are you, Jasmine, interested in Runforever?