‘Even when my dad was diagnosed with dementia, running was the one thing we could still share’ 

Jeans, a knitted burgundy sweater and loafers might not be your classic running gear, but it didn’t stop 80-year-old Fred Smith.

The family man had been diagnosed with dementia in 2014, however he was determined to keep his love of running up, explains his son, James.

‘Running was the one activity Dad didn’t withdraw from. Even when he first went into a care home, he would do little laps around the garden,’ James tells Metro, recalling his father’s choice of runwear with a smile.

Fred’s love for running was sparked by a conversation between the father and son when they were watching TV on the sofa, on a Sunday in April 2009.

‘Me and dad always had an okay relationship, but we struggled for things to talk about. But that day, when he was about 70, we were watching the London Marathon.’

Neither had run before, but James recalls his dad saying: ‘I think I’d like to do that’. And he replied, randomly, ‘I think I’d like to as well.’

The chance conversation led to countless miles covered together. ‘It gave us something to talk about,’ says James. ‘We did our first race together, a 10k, and both really enjoyed it.

‘You couldn’t talk to him on a run but he would be super chatty afterwards as he has to get everything out he had thought about during.’

Despite his brain deteriorating, Fred stayed physically fit for many years. ‘The trouble was you would hear about people go wandering… he could end up five or six miles away.’ James chuckles. There were also one question he’d always ask his son: ‘How’s running going?’

Not long before Fred eventually went into his care home in 2022, the pair walked 412 miles together on the Essex way, where James made sure he took lots of photos of their hike, which he turned into a photobook for his dad. 

Sadly, over the last couple of years Fred suffered a loss of mobility and is now bedbound, which James says has been incredibly hard to watch.

‘With dementia, you lose someone in stages. With dad, it’s been over a long, drawn out time, and we saw it through his running,’ he says. ‘It got to the point where he couldn’t tie his shoelaces to put on a pair of running shoes. He lost coordination, so couldn’t go for a jog – he was falling over.

‘It was really difficult to be honest, as it was the thing we bonded over. It’s really hard thinking about how we have sort of lost that connection.’

Though Fred never made the London Marathon ballot, James went on to complete 10 and many more around the world. Now he has his sights set on the Great North Run in September, which he will be running in his dad’s name. 

He is training with the Dementia Run Club, which is made up of 10 runners who have been selected by the charity Alzheimer’s Society, who are not only being supported this year through Metro’s Lifeline campaign, but are also partners with the Great North Run. 

Each runner will be taking part in the 21.1km event, from Newcastle Upon Tyne to South Shields. One of the members has recently been diagnosed with dementia, while others have been affected through loved ones.

‘You almost lose your inhibitions when running, and end up talking about the most amazing things,’ explains James. ‘Because people know that running to me is connected to my dad, they come to me for advice and vice versa. It’s a really positive way of engaging with dementia.’ 

According to sport and exercise psychologist Dr. Matt Cunliffe, exercise can be a lifeline for those going through a hard time. 

‘People often report an increase in mood after one single dose of running, as opposed to multiple doses [or therapy or drugs],’ he tells Metro. ‘Running builds resilience. There’s a level of discomfort you have to go through to keep going, and actually sitting with discomfort translates directly to being able to manage stress more efficiently.

‘Secondly, it releases ‘good’ chemicals into your brain. Generally, that doesn’t happen during a run, but afterwards you’ll see a positive impact on emotional regulation and pleasure.’

Dr Cunliffe adds that run clubs can be even better for your wellbeing. ‘Social interaction is a huge benefit for mental health and mindset. It regulates our flight, fright or freeze,’ he explains. ‘On top of that, run clubs are usually outdoors. The nature effect, being in green spaces, is great for mood and focus.’

Meanwhile, running alongside those you share experiences with can also be beneficial, he says. ‘Social support and connection have really positive impacts on the nervous system. It’s phenomenal for the way we regulate stress.’ 

Running together

Marie Curie’s run clubs are also a prime example of groups with shared experiences coming together to exercise.

In partnership with Run Your Mind, the bereavement charity has been running a series of Grief Run Clubs across London.

Taking place once a month until the London Marathon in April – with Marie Curie being the event’s chosen charity for 2026 – the clubs aim to raise £2 million.

‘Running is a space where people experiencing loss can go and be with their own thoughts and feelings, and can explore these in whatever way they feel able to,’ explains Saiqa Phillips, bereavement coordinator at Marie Curie Hospice in the West Midlands.  

‘The difficulty is, sometimes running can be quite a lonely place to go. With the grief run clubs, it’s a sense of belonging, community and knowing other people are in it with you.’

Research by the charity shows that one in four Brits run to cope with loss, while Saiqa explains that physically, running puts the body in the perfect state to open up to others. ‘Regulating your breathing is like regulating your emotions. People I speak with find it can be intimidating to look at someone face to face – they feel most able to talk when they are alongside someone.’

A step in the right direction

The Outrunners is a London-based charity run club where conversation and change is sparked by running side by side. Founded in 2020, the charity aims to help support young people in the area and comes together through weekly runs.

‘It’s more than just a run club’, says Sangeeta Bhopal, the interim CEO of the charity.

‘It’s about the power of running and movement – running helps with stress management and mental health. But it’s also a space where young professionals who are new to Hackney and people who have grown up here can meet and run alongside each other.’

As well as this, they have youth run clubs set up in Newham and Tower Hamlets, and carry the mantra that no young person gets left behind.

One of their schemes is aimed specifically at engaging girls from ethnically diverse backgrounds. ‘Often, they start the programme with no interest in running. But then you see their mood change, from the start of the session to the end of the session,’ says Sangeeta.

For James, being part of his unique run club is the best possible way to pay tribute to his father, Fred.

‘There’s not a run that goes past when I don’t think about my dad. I genuinely used to get a lot of joy just from running with him. I miss it,’ he reflects. ‘And, interestingly, I haven’t got a personal best since my dad went into a care home.

‘I think partly it’s because my dad was the person I used to love telling about my PBs, because he would be genuinely over the moon.’