Runningstories #9

19 January 2024

Transforming lives

In this conversation we had a special guest Kyle Greig, who is an elite runner, Scottish National Champion and fundraising manager of Athletics Trust Scotland. With Mark Hope (Chair Runforever), and Stephanie Morrison (RGU and IFF), we speak with him about the last event that Runforever has organised in HMP Grampian, the Santa 10k run and about what makes running a transformative and healing practice. Athletics Trust Scotland has recently funded Runforever, thank you!

https://athleticstrustscotland.org.uk/grant-release/

https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/ats-grants-2/  

Kyle Greig – Athletics Trust Scotland, Paolo Maccagno – Director Runforever, Mark Hope – Chair Runforever, at the Santa 10k run – HMP Grampian 13th December 2023

0:00 Runningstories show trailer

1’30 Introduction welcome to Mark Hope (Chair Runforever), Stephanie Morrison (RGU and IFF), and our special guest Kyle Greig (http://www.trs-training.com/ and Athletics Trust Scotland, https://athleticstrustscotland.org.uk/)

3’00 How we started the Santa 10k in HMP Grampian with Mary Oliver’s poem, Wild Geese.

3’28 Mary Oliver – Wild Geese https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfayiBoaXE8

4’45 Some reflections starting from the first line of Mary’s poem “You do not have to be good”. Kyle sharing his experience in running since he was a child to his records and now working as fundraiser.

8’00 What has been for you Kyle running within walls? “Running is a way of escape. It doesn’t count your background when you run. The power of sport is incredible”.

11’00 About Athletics Trust Scotland and their commitment to transforming lives through running (https://athleticstrustscotland.org.uk/). “The encounter with Runforever was a perfect match with our goals”.

13’40 Thoughts from Mark Hope about the importance of running as a practice of equality and helping with isolation

15’00 Kyle talking about taking running to underrepresented parts of the population as Runforever is doing in prison.

17’50 About the photovoice experience and the close collaboration with HMP Grampian allowed important things to happen through the year. The Santa 10k run in December 2023 opened gates!

20’15 Stephanie Morrison speaking about the photovoice and commenting on Mary Oliver’s line, “tell me about despairs, yours and I will tell you mine” which reminded her of the way we find ourselves in similar conversations when we run in the prison.

22’00 Kyle talking about the transformative and healing potential of running.