Really sorry to learn of the recent challenges you are going through but so empowering to hear that even a super runner like you has issues you are dealing with. Pleased you are on the mend though and thank you for the openness and honesty.
I only learned that the Cutty Sark is a actual physical ship from watching Ben Parkes London Marathon video. Before that, I only thought it was a liquor brand
Great to see you back on the videos 👌 and good to hear your thoughts on Cheshire too, onwards and upwards now! Lots of time to build through the summer! Keep strong mate 👊
Incredible how much of an impact the mental side of things has on our bodies. So many ups & downs, especially as you get older, you just have to adapt to find ways that allow you to do what you love & handle whatever life throws at you. Keep enjoying what you're doing, get help when you need it, and know you've got a lot of people around you who care. All the best to you & Sarah from NZ 💪❤
Thanks for the vid Ben. I am currently going through something similar with my mental health and its effect on my running, but your openness about these issues makes me feel normal and not alone.
Ben just want to say that your honesty and openness about how you've been feeling through these tough moments is really inspiring. Your videos and advice on TH-cam have been a huge part of my running journey the last two years, and it is so helpful to have this full picture of the highs and the lows in your life - when I'm struggling with my training, it reminds me that it happens to everyone and I'll get through it too. Keep it up and stay strong 🏃♂️🏃♀️
Great to see you smiling Ben. You've put what has gone 'wrong' on the marathon but it was an amazing achievement by yourself to even be there considering the challenges you've faced. Enjoy the 10k!
Good to see you back out there. Health and wellbeing is most important. Ive just completed my 2nd Ultra. The Goring Gap 50k yesterday. A great route and an extremely well organised event. Loved every step. Resting today, a day off work (and it is my birthday 🎉). Looking forward to some shorter races over the next few months.
I have done quite a lot cross training recently, since also happen to love cross country skiing and cycling. And now that summer is here and I started doing running speed work again I was very pleasantly surprised that my running has noticeably improved. I have done max bit under 100k/week (7-8 hours) and this winter max was 15 hours/week with like 40-50k running. And this seemed to work so much better than more running. For me cross training allows so much more easy volume with less stress on my body and that easy volume is really improving the cardiovascular system. I also think that the best balance between mileage/cross training is personal, you just need to find the right balance for your body. Awesome video as always:)
Appreciate you being open and honest on your feelings Ben - we all have tough times but you have so much support here to get you through things. Good to hear you are on the up best of luck for tomorrow at the 10k! Take care and keep running!
I love your openness and vulnerability so much! It's been such a rough time. We're still in lockdown in Canada and the 3rd wave has been much much worse than the previous ones. There was an outbreak in my apartment building recently and my anxiety has been through the roof, and then the anxiety mostly sits in my chest and it hurts and my breathing gets weird and suddenly I've convinced myself that I've contracted the virus and panic. I've been starting to calm down a bit in recent weeks and I've got my first ever half marathon coming up in less than 2 weeks. A bit sad that it has to be virtual, but I've got an awesome running partner who has been helping to keep me sane and motivated. Be well, sir. We'll get through this!
Thank you for being open and honest Ben. What you described you are going through with your mental health and health anxiety is exactly what I am going through too, it is nice to see from what you said and from some of the comments that we are not alone. It is crazy the effect that the mental health side of life has on our bodies, but things will get better slowly but surely.
Hi Ben, I had a brain haemorrhage back in 2011 and I suffered with health anxiety for several years after...basically till this year and it's still there to some degree. I'm no expert on mental health but the biggest progress for me was acknowledging how irrational it was, I get these flutters in my chest and I'm convinced I'm either about to have a heart attack or it's another brain haemorrhage starting. I've never spoken to anyone about it, including my wife till this year. She ordered me to see my GP and he gave be an ECG and had a chat with me and reassured me I was healthy. So I think it's great you're being so open about it and it can only help you. You're not alone with it and I'm sure you'll get on top of it! Best wishes in life and training 👍🏻
Thank you so much for sharing and talking about mental health, Ben. During this last year, running has become so much more important to my mental health and it is the best therapy I have found. All the best, know that you have loads of support from around the world! Cheers from Canada, Scott
Thanks to you and Sarah for your brilliant and inspirational videos. I ran in my new Ben Parkes hat at the weekend. (thanks Bens mum) Very comfortable and kept the rain out of my eyes. I look forward to seeing more videos.
Thanks for your transparency about the psychosomatic issues - there are a lot more of us who experience the same, and it's encouraging to us to have a phenomenal person like you share about the struggles! We're pulling for you!
I think it's fantastic that a guy with your profile shares your anxieties and difficulties. So many people feel that they're inferior or weak when confronting these challenges. Seeing an athlete like you enduring the same experiences so honestly is very liberating. Well done Ben!
Ben, Great positivity as always. I will be trying to channel some of this over the next few months as I had a major bike crash yesterday. (I mainly do triathlons and bike time trials.) Broken collar bone , shredded ear, seriously bashed ribs and lots of road rash. Fitness was building nicely and now the season is probably over, but I didn’t go under a car and live to fight again, which is the main thing. Keep up the good work!
Good to hear you're alright! Been there with the brain making physical things seem worse... a few hospital trips thinking i had heart issues, when just muscular etc so you're not alone. Now you've got the all clear hopefully you can use that info to tell your brain to be quiet when it's acting up, that's what i do. Good luck
Used your 8 week 10k plan on top of a 2 month base for a TT and went from 38:09 to 36:36 lifetime PB! Blown away so thank you for that Ben. Great to see you posting again and smiling as always.
Glad you're feeling better Ben and thankyou for sharing! It shows great courage and determination! Good luck in your 10k! Ive got a 10k too this week so hope we both do well! Good luck to Sarah too for this weekend! xxx
Keep your head high Ben. You’re a true inspiration to a lot of runnings, like myself. Carry on the great work your doing in taking about mental health. Loved the little clips of Matt. A duo run together would make great content
Great to see you so upbeat mate. You and Sarah are always inspiring me and many others I’m sure of it. As for me, I’ve struggled recently. Signed up for my first marathon in October (Auckland marathon). Managed to pick up a calf micro tear of some kind. Super frustrating injury that just won’t go away. Which has meant I could only train on bike for the last few weeks. I think it’s more fun being outside on the bike, however the convenience of being on a trainer helps with getting the sessions in. It’s made me realise how important staying healthy really is.
It's great to see someone talk so openly about this. I had a road traffic accident 4 weeks ago and suffered concussion. 2 weeks afterwards I suffered a pretty bad panic attack (literally whilst trying to eat dinner) which was very scary and made my anxiety worse. Luckily my heart and lungs were fine (see lots of running is a good thing 😀) but it's a different thing when it comes to your brain and mental health which takes time to heal. Keep running (and getting it done!) and it's always good to talk about mental health! I look forward to seeing how you get on with your longer races as I spent most of lockdown 1 inspired by your videos on amazing long trail runs and it inspired me to run my first ultra. Keep running, keep smiling and keep talking about mental health and how important it is. Stu #gettingitdone
Your positivity going trough this is really inspiring. This whole covid situation has mentally hit so many people, me included, but hopefully we will come back to normal soon and we will be stronger! Hope we will be able to run the London Marathon in October and meet in person!
Good to see you posting videos again. Just pray for a calm day for that 10km on Thursday, it's an old airfield. The finish is often on a small pebbles path in front of Prestwold hall, I was like bambi on ice last Nov. :-)
It’s been a tough year Ben. I salute you for taking a step back and sorting out your issues instead of burying your head in the sand like so many others. Take care of yourself and keep inspiring! 🙏
Thanks for the update Ben, I used one of your training plans to achieve a 2:46 marathon in the last 2 months. I had the 2:40 plan but sadly arrived on race day a little bit too sore to run at optimal levels. Thanks for the honesty in this latest update too, I've had a bit of stress lately and it certainly does make training/recovery hard.
Thanks for sharing Ben. It is okay to be okay, go easy on yourself and wish you all the best on your recovery and continuing to develop your skills around your mental health!
Everyone believes in you Ben! You’ve given so much to the running world & it will always support you. You’ve only proven how human you are during these times. Wish you all the best overcoming it & you will. There’s so much left in you to achieve all your dreams. You deserve it & we’re all behind you 👊🏻.
Hi Ben, I’d been worried about you, but pleased to see you enjoying your running in this video. It’s difficult for lots of people at the moment, so you’re definitely not alone, but your videos help so many other people...please keep the vids coming and please keep enjoying your running, that’s the most important part of this lovely sport of ours.
You're a legend and very inspirational Ben! I hope you manage to get your mojo and confidence back asap, you deserve it for all the support and content you provide to everyone via this channel! I've been dealing with some ITB issues recently and its extremely frustrating and demoralising however your recents are aiding me and giving the strength and courage to persevere through it!
4 Days a way from my First race South Downs - Half Marathon - and 5 weeks away from Peak District 100km Ultra Race. Love your videos very inspirational.
Thank you for sharing this. I have suffered with exactly the same anxiety attacks thinking my heart is failing. Its such an awful feeling I really hope yours eases soon. Look forward to seeing you smash future races
Ben, I can totally relate to your recent experience at the marathon. I have had similar experiences during time trials over the last year and a half. I would put in some really good training but on the day, all of a sudden the breathing goes, then the head goes and finally the legs give up. Very hard to explain but I know that it is in some way anxiety-related which I hope I can somehow overcome. Sending you positive vibes!!!!
FairPlay to you Ben, I love your honesty and your no fear approach to talking about mental health issues. Just know there are 1000’s of us out there rooting for you! Keep up the great work Ben 👍
So glad to see you again Ben, got a bit worried about you, keep getting it done. Did a marathon last weekend now getting ready to do the virtual comrades on the 13th June.
Feel for you Ben, I get like this from time to time. It was really bad when it first started, luckily two years later I can see its gotten better. I hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for sharing Ben, as even a disappointment can inspire others (myself included; disappointment is a frequent companion of mine). I'm in my 60s and have begun training in earnest for VLM in October. I find your videos so uplifting and inspiring and look forward to more. Perhaps a refresher course/video on marathon training/plans (it would be timely as we are about 19 weeks from VLM)? Stay strong and thanks!
Thank you for sharing. Anxiety is no fun and glad you are working thru it. I have out some of you training into mine and I have a 15k on Sunday and the Gold Coast marathon in which I’m down for my 5th half marathon in 45 days. So I’m keen to see this all pay off. 🤞
Thanks for sharing Ben! You look like your in better spirits. Im training for my first Ultra 53miles. In June. Heat, Few hills and a lot of sand should be tough.
Thank you for sharing mate I did wonder what had happened at the Cheshire Elite. Glad to see you back at it, I’m currently on week 2 of the half marathon plan, then swapping over to marathon plan on bank holiday ready for London. Your entire running journey has been inspirational and the content you put out, i really appreciate all the time and effort that goes into it. Thank you Ben 🙏 🧡
Good seeing you back posting Ben. Wasn't sure what happened at the elite marathon but figured you had an injury or something midway through. Always tough not to achieve one's goals in a big race like that. I've had a DNF in my "career" as well. It takes some time to get over. As always though, love seeing London and your videos and I hope to see more of your work soon. You always inspire to train harder. Best wishes.
Thanks again for sharing Ben. I was looking forward to hearing about your experience, and it was certainly worthwhile going. Glad to hear you’re doing well and keeping the smile on. Always inspiring me as an amateur runner to keep at it.
Keep it up Ben, always enjoy watching your videos. Stay happy and keep it up. When I have gone through a injury period the last 3 weeks, I know how you are feeling and sometimes it can be partly mentally, we just need to listen to our body and mind. Stay strong.
Good to see you looking more positive Ben. It's still strange times and hopefully, we are starting to get a bit more normality back now. Take care and keep the posts coming.
Thanks for sharing your challenges as we all face adversity - physical, mental. It’s great you are evolving your training approach because there are many ways to getting it done! ✅👊
Good to see you back at it, Ban. I've been through a series of panic attacks brought on by stress. Thought I was having a heart attack, scared me half to death. It was a relief to find out what it actually was, then it took a while to get the lingering chest issues to go away and bring my stress levels down. Once you get used to spotting the signs of it building up and learn to give yourself a break and not put too much pressure on yourself with things going on in your life it does get a lot better. Keep plugging away mate.
Ben, I know what you are going through. I myself have suffered from anxiety attacks in the past. Nothing ever happened to me apart from feeling really scared. In my case I didn’t feel pain like you. It was different. All I can tell you is that it will go away. Don’t hold back your emotions. If you feel angry at someone, tell that person how you feel. If you feel like screaming go ahead. This happens to REALLY intelligent people ;-) It is great that you are talking openly about it. Big hug!
Love how you use your platform mate! So refreshing, I also run and have health anxiety and wanted to ask if you ever get anxiety mid run, particularly if you’re alone! I do and it’s a right pain in the arse!
amazing to think when the head space changes how much it impacts even the best I just told my daughter about your efforts and hope she understands what I meant Well done either way
Hang tough mate. You'll get through this patch. Set realistic goals and don't forget to forgive yourself when necessary. You're a Star in my opinion......Cheers! Phil
Im 47 im start my running journey 15 months ago I don't care about time I don't care about progress .. my benefits .. happy more healthy more confidence. Btw... Hat it's amazing.. thank you..
Warning signs before a panic are worth noting. As it gives one time to prepare for it. I look at them as an old friend and welcome them in. It sounds crazy however it helps to stop the fear and stress. I found singing out loud useful to take my mind off the P/A. Hope that helps someone as it’s been really good for me.
My ultra training is going well out last Tuesday for a mixed 20miles Trail/ tarmac run target was 3hours came in 2hr 52 min a few food/hydration problems but hey that’s what trainings all about Stay Strong Ben And Sarah 🏃🏻♂️🏃🏻♀️👍
Going through the same thing with stress causing physical pain in my body. Starts in the chest and shoulder area and then ended up in my quads for a few weeks. Trying to push through now that I know that it's all stress and have been meditating more. Best of luck!
You’re doing amazing Ben, I just did the Hawks Bay Marathon here in New Zealand, my second ever marathon, I wanted to do a Pb trained really hard but a month before the marathon, started getting some on & off pains in the left leg mainly when I run down hill, really hard to deal with mentally and emotionally when you put so much hard work into it, time & effort, right up to the day of the marathon I was undecided weather I could do the marathon or not, happy to finish the marathon,was nowhere time that I wanted, if ya can stay positive on the day ended up really enjoying the day, yeah it is hard when you know you can do so much better but are held back by a stupid injury, I just watched your video of you doing Hawkes Bay Marathon, 2018 keep up the awesome videos Ben 😀🌲🌳☘️✌️👊🏼
Great content Ben. I'd like to hear more of how you combine your cross training with running! Also noticing cycling is a very good way to increase your time spent doing aerobic exercise without the mechanical impact from running!
Hey Ben, on the exact same day as you, I had a marathon and the same injury! I had a bothersome quad injury for about 3 weeks leading in to the race and I had lost a lot of running in that time. I started the race as you did, just to see if I could finish - ended up with a 26 minute PB of 3:05! Not totally shocked as I was generally in really good shape and had done so much work to get there, I always knew a PB was on the cards but only IF I managed to finish! Also a fellow sufferer of anxiety (can recommend mirtazapine!). Love the channel. Was hoping to grab some Ben Parkes coaching for my sub-3 attempt but you're all booked up! All the best.
Powerful stuff. It's always inspiring to see the London landmarks, but sobering to hear about your recent challenges. Great that you're able to share your situation, and I'm sure you'll be back on it again soon. Maybe even see you at Prestwold on Thursday (with binoculars..)?! 🤞
Hope things keep going well. Thank you for sharing your stories, it’s what’s needed..being open and having honest conversations. Good luck in the 10k 👍
Thanks for sharing, Ben. Take care and know you’ve got a whole community supporting you in YT land. Cheers.
Really sorry to learn of the recent challenges you are going through but so empowering to hear that even a super runner like you has issues you are dealing with. Pleased you are on the mend though and thank you for the openness and honesty.
Ben you inspire us buddy, you are ok and you will be ok. Stay strong sir 👍🏃♂️😊
Thank you so much Ben & EDDBUD
I only learned that the Cutty Sark is a actual physical ship from watching Ben Parkes London Marathon video. Before that, I only thought it was a liquor brand
Great to see you back on the videos 👌 and good to hear your thoughts on Cheshire too, onwards and upwards now! Lots of time to build through the summer! Keep strong mate 👊
Incredible how much of an impact the mental side of things has on our bodies. So many ups & downs, especially as you get older, you just have to adapt to find ways that allow you to do what you love & handle whatever life throws at you.
Keep enjoying what you're doing, get help when you need it, and know you've got a lot of people around you who care.
All the best to you & Sarah from NZ 💪❤
Thanks for the vid Ben. I am currently going through something similar with my mental health and its effect on my running, but your openness about these issues makes me feel normal and not alone.
Ben just want to say that your honesty and openness about how you've been feeling through these tough moments is really inspiring. Your videos and advice on TH-cam have been a huge part of my running journey the last two years, and it is so helpful to have this full picture of the highs and the lows in your life - when I'm struggling with my training, it reminds me that it happens to everyone and I'll get through it too. Keep it up and stay strong 🏃♂️🏃♀️
Great to see you smiling Ben. You've put what has gone 'wrong' on the marathon but it was an amazing achievement by yourself to even be there considering the challenges you've faced. Enjoy the 10k!
Good to see you back out there.
Health and wellbeing is most important.
Ive just completed my 2nd Ultra.
The Goring Gap 50k yesterday.
A great route and an extremely well organised event.
Loved every step.
Resting today, a day off work (and it is my birthday 🎉).
Looking forward to some shorter races over the next few months.
Thank you for being so open with these challenges. You're helping a lot of people, and should be very proud of this positive impact! Take care
I have done quite a lot cross training recently, since also happen to love cross country skiing and cycling. And now that summer is here and I started doing running speed work again I was very pleasantly surprised that my running has noticeably improved. I have done max bit under 100k/week (7-8 hours) and this winter max was 15 hours/week with like 40-50k running. And this seemed to work so much better than more running. For me cross training allows so much more easy volume with less stress on my body and that easy volume is really improving the cardiovascular system. I also think that the best balance between mileage/cross training is personal, you just need to find the right balance for your body.
Awesome video as always:)
Appreciate you being open and honest on your feelings Ben - we all have tough times but you have so much support here to get you through things. Good to hear you are on the up best of luck for tomorrow at the 10k! Take care and keep running!
I love your openness and vulnerability so much! It's been such a rough time. We're still in lockdown in Canada and the 3rd wave has been much much worse than the previous ones. There was an outbreak in my apartment building recently and my anxiety has been through the roof, and then the anxiety mostly sits in my chest and it hurts and my breathing gets weird and suddenly I've convinced myself that I've contracted the virus and panic. I've been starting to calm down a bit in recent weeks and I've got my first ever half marathon coming up in less than 2 weeks. A bit sad that it has to be virtual, but I've got an awesome running partner who has been helping to keep me sane and motivated. Be well, sir. We'll get through this!
Great to have you back on TH-cam Ben😁 Best of luck for your 10k 💪
Great video, keep the great work going. Praying for you all, and everyone. God Bless you all, and your families Mate.
Nice to see you and Sarah posting again , health and continued happiness 👍
Amen to that.
Thank you for being open and honest Ben. What you described you are going through with your mental health and health anxiety is exactly what I am going through too, it is nice to see from what you said and from some of the comments that we are not alone. It is crazy the effect that the mental health side of life has on our bodies, but things will get better slowly but surely.
Hi Ben, I had a brain haemorrhage back in 2011 and I suffered with health anxiety for several years after...basically till this year and it's still there to some degree. I'm no expert on mental health but the biggest progress for me was acknowledging how irrational it was, I get these flutters in my chest and I'm convinced I'm either about to have a heart attack or it's another brain haemorrhage starting. I've never spoken to anyone about it, including my wife till this year. She ordered me to see my GP and he gave be an ECG and had a chat with me and reassured me I was healthy. So I think it's great you're being so open about it and it can only help you. You're not alone with it and I'm sure you'll get on top of it! Best wishes in life and training 👍🏻
Thank you so much for sharing and talking about mental health, Ben. During this last year, running has become so much more important to my mental health and it is the best therapy I have found. All the best, know that you have loads of support from around the world! Cheers from Canada, Scott
Great to see your smile! Thanks for your candidness. We are here for you!!!
Thanks to you and Sarah for your brilliant and inspirational videos. I ran in my new Ben Parkes hat at the weekend. (thanks Bens mum) Very comfortable and kept the rain out of my eyes. I look forward to seeing more videos.
Felt like a relief to here that as a man experiencing very similar issues .keep it up mate
Thanks for your transparency about the psychosomatic issues - there are a lot more of us who experience the same, and it's encouraging to us to have a phenomenal person like you share about the struggles! We're pulling for you!
I think it's fantastic that a guy with your profile shares your anxieties and difficulties. So many people feel that they're inferior or weak when confronting these challenges. Seeing an athlete like you enduring the same experiences so honestly is very liberating. Well done Ben!
Ben,
Great positivity as always. I will be trying to channel some of this over the next few months as I had a major bike crash yesterday. (I mainly do triathlons and bike time trials.) Broken collar bone , shredded ear, seriously bashed ribs and lots of road rash. Fitness was building nicely and now the season is probably over, but I didn’t go under a car and live to fight again, which is the main thing.
Keep up the good work!
Good to hear you're alright! Been there with the brain making physical things seem worse... a few hospital trips thinking i had heart issues, when just muscular etc so you're not alone. Now you've got the all clear hopefully you can use that info to tell your brain to be quiet when it's acting up, that's what i do. Good luck
Used your 8 week 10k plan on top of a 2 month base for a TT and went from 38:09 to 36:36 lifetime PB! Blown away so thank you for that Ben. Great to see you posting again and smiling as always.
Glad you're feeling better Ben and thankyou for sharing! It shows great courage and determination! Good luck in your 10k! Ive got a 10k too this week so hope we both do well! Good luck to Sarah too for this weekend! xxx
Keep your head high Ben. You’re a true inspiration to a lot of runnings, like myself. Carry on the great work your doing in taking about mental health.
Loved the little clips of Matt. A duo run together would make great content
Great to see you so upbeat mate. You and Sarah are always inspiring me and many others I’m sure of it.
As for me, I’ve struggled recently. Signed up for my first marathon in October (Auckland marathon). Managed to pick up a calf micro tear of some kind. Super frustrating injury that just won’t go away.
Which has meant I could only train on bike for the last few weeks. I think it’s more fun being outside on the bike, however the convenience of being on a trainer helps with getting the sessions in. It’s made me realise how important staying healthy really is.
It's great to see someone talk so openly about this. I had a road traffic accident 4 weeks ago and suffered concussion. 2 weeks afterwards I suffered a pretty bad panic attack (literally whilst trying to eat dinner) which was very scary and made my anxiety worse. Luckily my heart and lungs were fine (see lots of running is a good thing 😀) but it's a different thing when it comes to your brain and mental health which takes time to heal. Keep running (and getting it done!) and it's always good to talk about mental health! I look forward to seeing how you get on with your longer races as I spent most of lockdown 1 inspired by your videos on amazing long trail runs and it inspired me to run my first ultra. Keep running, keep smiling and keep talking about mental health and how important it is. Stu #gettingitdone
Your positivity going trough this is really inspiring. This whole covid situation has mentally hit so many people, me included, but hopefully we will come back to normal soon and we will be stronger! Hope we will be able to run the London Marathon in October and meet in person!
Good to see you posting videos again. Just pray for a calm day for that 10km on Thursday, it's an old airfield. The finish is often on a small pebbles path in front of Prestwold hall, I was like bambi on ice last Nov. :-)
It’s been a tough year Ben. I salute you for taking a step back and sorting out your issues instead of burying your head in the sand like so many others.
Take care of yourself and keep inspiring! 🙏
Thanks for the update Ben, I used one of your training plans to achieve a 2:46 marathon in the last 2 months. I had the 2:40 plan but sadly arrived on race day a little bit too sore to run at optimal levels. Thanks for the honesty in this latest update too, I've had a bit of stress lately and it certainly does make training/recovery hard.
Thank you for the honesty Ben. It’s so refreshing to see a real person behind the star athlete. I wish you all the very best in your upcoming races.
Thanks for sharing Ben. It is okay to be okay, go easy on yourself and wish you all the best on your recovery and continuing to develop your skills around your mental health!
Everyone believes in you Ben! You’ve given so much to the running world & it will always support you. You’ve only proven how human you are during these times. Wish you all the best overcoming it & you will. There’s so much left in you to achieve all your dreams. You deserve it & we’re all behind you 👊🏻.
Don't feel any pressure Ben. We are all here for you and feel for you and support you.
Your an inspiration to so many. Even when I have a slump in my running, I watch one of your videos and off I go!
Hi Ben, I’d been worried about you, but pleased to see you enjoying your running in this video. It’s difficult for lots of people at the moment, so you’re definitely not alone, but your videos help so many other people...please keep the vids coming and please keep enjoying your running, that’s the most important part of this lovely sport of ours.
You're a legend and very inspirational Ben! I hope you manage to get your mojo and confidence back asap, you deserve it for all the support and content you provide to everyone via this channel! I've been dealing with some ITB issues recently and its extremely frustrating and demoralising however your recents are aiding me and giving the strength and courage to persevere through it!
4 Days a way from my First race South Downs - Half Marathon - and 5 weeks away from Peak District 100km Ultra Race.
Love your videos very inspirational.
Thank you for sharing this. I have suffered with exactly the same anxiety attacks thinking my heart is failing. Its such an awful feeling I really hope yours eases soon. Look forward to seeing you smash future races
Ben, I can totally relate to your recent experience at the marathon. I have had similar experiences during time trials over the last year and a half. I would put in some really good training but on the day, all of a sudden the breathing goes, then the head goes and finally the legs give up. Very hard to explain but I know that it is in some way anxiety-related which I hope I can somehow overcome.
Sending you positive vibes!!!!
Well done Ben you are an inspiration with your running and honesty. Keep doing what your doing and stay positive.
FairPlay to you Ben, I love your honesty and your no fear approach to talking about mental health issues. Just know there are 1000’s of us out there rooting for you! Keep up the great work Ben 👍
So glad to see you again Ben, got a bit worried about you, keep getting it done. Did a marathon last weekend now getting ready to do the virtual comrades on the 13th June.
Feel for you Ben, I get like this from time to time. It was really bad when it first started, luckily two years later I can see its gotten better. I hope you feel better soon.
Hi Ben, I've been in your condition like that.. it was a panic attack. Don't worry. You're not alone and you will get thru this.
Keep on running and great to see you on TH-cam again. Supporting you and Sarah all the way 👍👍
Thanks for sharing Ben, as even a disappointment can inspire others (myself included; disappointment is a frequent companion of mine). I'm in my 60s and have begun training in earnest for VLM in October. I find your videos so uplifting and inspiring and look forward to more. Perhaps a refresher course/video on marathon training/plans (it would be timely as we are about 19 weeks from VLM)? Stay strong and thanks!
Welcome back Ben - missed your vlogs. All the best for your training + upcoming race!
Thank you for sharing. Anxiety is no fun and glad you are working thru it. I have out some of you training into mine and I have a 15k on Sunday and the Gold Coast marathon in which I’m down for my 5th half marathon in 45 days. So I’m keen to see this all pay off. 🤞
Thanks for sharing Ben! You look like your in better spirits. Im training for my first Ultra 53miles. In June. Heat, Few hills and a lot of sand should be tough.
Great to have you back making inspirational videos, thank you !
Loving the t shirt great design
Thank you for sharing mate I did wonder what had happened at the Cheshire Elite. Glad to see you back at it, I’m currently on week 2 of the half marathon plan, then swapping over to marathon plan on bank holiday ready for London.
Your entire running journey has been inspirational and the content you put out, i really appreciate all the time and effort that goes into it. Thank you Ben 🙏 🧡
Good seeing you back posting Ben. Wasn't sure what happened at the elite marathon but figured you had an injury or something midway through. Always tough not to achieve one's goals in a big race like that. I've had a DNF in my "career" as well. It takes some time to get over. As always though, love seeing London and your videos and I hope to see more of your work soon. You always inspire to train harder. Best wishes.
Thanks for another honest video. Good luck in the future peeps
Thanks again for sharing Ben. I was looking forward to hearing about your experience, and it was certainly worthwhile going. Glad to hear you’re doing well and keeping the smile on. Always inspiring me as an amateur runner to keep at it.
Keep it up Ben, always enjoy watching your videos. Stay happy and keep it up. When I have gone through a injury period the last 3 weeks, I know how you are feeling and sometimes it can be partly mentally, we just need to listen to our body and mind. Stay strong.
Brave to share your troubles, shows how powerful your brain is. Good luck with your new training regime
Races coming back!! Marine Corps Marathon just announced a live event in October....smaller in size, but I'll take it. And I'm in! Can't wait.
Brave work Ben! Great to see you back. Happy to speak with you for nada - I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Grand you-tube posts!!
Good to see you looking more positive Ben. It's still strange times and hopefully, we are starting to get a bit more normality back now. Take care and keep the posts coming.
Thanks for sharing your challenges as we all face adversity - physical, mental. It’s great you are evolving your training approach because there are many ways to getting it done! ✅👊
Good to see you back at it, Ban. I've been through a series of panic attacks brought on by stress. Thought I was having a heart attack, scared me half to death. It was a relief to find out what it actually was, then it took a while to get the lingering chest issues to go away and bring my stress levels down. Once you get used to spotting the signs of it building up and learn to give yourself a break and not put too much pressure on yourself with things going on in your life it does get a lot better. Keep plugging away mate.
I admire your honesty and I wish you all the best getting back to full fitness both physically and mentally. Keep on getting it done! 🏃🏻♂️
Great to see you back on youtube Ben, we've missed you!
We are got stay positive and be strong I'm please you back on the mend Ben we are will get through this
Good on you Ben, kudos for sharing.
Ben, I know what you are going through. I myself have suffered from anxiety attacks in the past. Nothing ever happened to me apart from feeling really scared. In my case I didn’t feel pain like you. It was different. All I can tell you is that it will go away. Don’t hold back your emotions. If you feel angry at someone, tell that person how you feel. If you feel like screaming go ahead. This happens to REALLY intelligent people ;-) It is great that you are talking openly about it.
Big hug!
Love how you use your platform mate! So refreshing, I also run and have health anxiety and wanted to ask if you ever get anxiety mid run, particularly if you’re alone! I do and it’s a right pain in the arse!
Great Video Ben. Good to see you back and I'll see you on Thursday at the race!!
Great video so glad to see that smile again, base building for me after the leg break then starting your marathon plan again for London 🤞🏻
amazing to think when the head space changes how much it impacts even the best
I just told my daughter about your efforts and hope she understands what I meant
Well done either way
Was missing you Ben, so good to see you back.
Nice to see a video from you again 😊
Great effort at the Marathon Ben! Keep at it you are doing excellent
Thanks for being so honest Ben!
Hang tough mate. You'll get through this patch. Set realistic goals and don't forget to forgive yourself when necessary. You're a Star in my opinion......Cheers! Phil
Im 47 im start my running journey 15 months ago I don't care about time I don't care about progress .. my benefits .. happy more healthy more confidence.
Btw... Hat it's amazing.. thank you..
Warning signs before a panic are worth noting.
As it gives one time to prepare for it.
I look at them as an old friend and welcome them in. It sounds crazy however it helps to stop the fear and stress. I found singing out loud useful to take my mind off the P/A.
Hope that helps someone as it’s been really good for me.
Had my first panic attack back in August.... Had no idea. Thanks for talking about this!
Anxiety is real. Well done sharing this bravely with us.
Glad to have you back Ben!
My ultra training is going well out last Tuesday for a mixed 20miles Trail/ tarmac run target was 3hours came in 2hr 52 min a few food/hydration problems but hey that’s what trainings all about Stay Strong Ben And Sarah 🏃🏻♂️🏃🏻♀️👍
Good to see you back and loving life again Ben.
Going through the same thing with stress causing physical pain in my body. Starts in the chest and shoulder area and then ended up in my quads for a few weeks. Trying to push through now that I know that it's all stress and have been meditating more. Best of luck!
Take care of yourself Ben. Health is everything 💪
You’re doing amazing Ben, I just did the Hawks Bay Marathon here in New Zealand, my second ever marathon, I wanted to do a Pb trained really hard but a month before the marathon, started getting some on & off pains in the left leg mainly when I run down hill, really hard to deal with mentally and emotionally when you put so much hard work into it, time & effort, right up to the day of the marathon I was undecided weather I could do the marathon or not, happy to finish the marathon,was nowhere time that I wanted, if ya can stay positive on the day ended up really enjoying the day, yeah it is hard when you know you can do so much better but are held back by a stupid injury, I just watched your video of you doing Hawkes Bay Marathon, 2018 keep up the awesome videos Ben 😀🌲🌳☘️✌️👊🏼
Great content Ben. I'd like to hear more of how you combine your cross training with running! Also noticing cycling is a very good way to increase your time spent doing aerobic exercise without the mechanical impact from running!
Great to see you back- I was worried! Ups and downs of running 🏃♂️ glad you are back and no doubt you'll be back stronger than ever 👍
Hey Ben, on the exact same day as you, I had a marathon and the same injury! I had a bothersome quad injury for about 3 weeks leading in to the race and I had lost a lot of running in that time. I started the race as you did, just to see if I could finish - ended up with a 26 minute PB of 3:05! Not totally shocked as I was generally in really good shape and had done so much work to get there, I always knew a PB was on the cards but only IF I managed to finish! Also a fellow sufferer of anxiety (can recommend mirtazapine!). Love the channel. Was hoping to grab some Ben Parkes coaching for my sub-3 attempt but you're all booked up! All the best.
Yes Ben 🙌 you’re and inspiration! I wish you a happy and healthy journey ☺️
Keep it up Ben! I start your 18 week marathon plan on 31st May - aiming for the golden sub-3 this time. 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
great to see you back, love your videos
Powerful stuff. It's always inspiring to see the London landmarks, but sobering to hear about your recent challenges. Great that you're able to share your situation, and I'm sure you'll be back on it again soon. Maybe even see you at Prestwold on Thursday (with binoculars..)?! 🤞
Hope things keep going well. Thank you for sharing your stories, it’s what’s needed..being open and having honest conversations. Good luck in the 10k 👍