After Running Saved Me, I Wanted to Help Others

I’m Sasha Wolff, founder of the non-profit organization Still I Run - Runners for Mental Health Awareness. Still I Run has been around since 2016, but the idea for it came years earlier after I was hospitalized with depression and anxiety. In the hospital, they taught us that healthy habits can be key in managing a mental illness. For me, that healthy habit turned out to be running!

After discovering the power of medication, therapy, and running for mental health, I started looking for a community of people I could connect to that also used running for mental health. I looked for years and never found anything. So, I started it myself. What started as a small Facebook page and website, is now a flourishing community of close to 10,000 people.

"Healthy habits can be key in managing a mental illness."

Today, Still I Run is the only non-profit organization and running community that promotes the benefits of running for mental health. We also provide a safe space for people to share their experiences of dealing with depression/anxiety etc. through running or any other type of physical activity and offer a few programs that reinforce our mission. One of those is the Starting Line Scholarship!

"We provide a safe space for people to share their experiences of dealing with depression, anxiety and more."

The Starting Line Scholarship aims to help people overcome any barriers or hardships to getting started in their running for mental health journey. Not sure where to start? Don’t have the discretionary funds for shoes? Need accountability? The Starting Line Scholarship can help with all of that. All recipients receive the following:

• Altra Running Shoes
• Running gear which includes a shirt, shorts, and socks. Women will also receive a Oiselle Sports Bra
• FRE Skincare products
• Still I Run swag
• Entry into the race of your choice (In person or virtual! Your choice!)
• A custom training plan to help you complete your race
• Regular check-ins from a certified run coach
• A Still I Run mentor

It’s 100% free to apply for and participate in the program. We accept applications year round and award on a quarterly basis! To learn more, or to apply, visit our website!

My personal hope with Still I Run is that not only will we inspire others to run for their mental health, but that we can help defeat the stigma as well! So many of us deal with mental health conditions and we’re truly not alone. I hope Still I Run can help drive that point home!

You can follow me on my personal journey of running for mental health at @sashawolff on Instagram OR follow Still I Run at @stilliruncommunity.