“Jog leaders will help Scotland’s Covid recovery” – Dr Andrew Murray

jogscotland’s jog leaders will play a key role in helping Scotland emerge happy and healthy from the Covid crisis, according to Sports and Exercise Medicine expert, Dr Andrew Murray (pictured).

Dr Murray was guest speaker at a special webinar for our jog leaders on Tuesday, aimed at supporting them as they lead our members into a safe return to group activity. He touched on the many benefits of physical exercise for a whole range of physical and mental health conditions, and talked about the best ways to stay safe from the virus as we return to our groups, observing hand hygiene, staying away if you have possible symptoms, and social distancing where required.

Dr Murray said: “The pandemic has been quite a different time, quite a troubling time, but actually what’s completely clear as a medical doctor is that jogscotland leaders, the people on this call, are exactly the sort of people that are going to take Scotland towards a recovery, and are going to contribute directly to people being happier, being healthier, living longer and just really playing a key part in the road to recovery for Scotland.

“You quite often hear it trotted out that nurses and supermarket workers and key workers are doing a great job, but actually now, this is the time, when people who are promoting physical activity and sport, walking and running and cycling, are going to come into our own. Because it’s exactly the sort of thing that’s going to make the biggest difference to people in Scotland.”

Jog leaders also shared their own experiences, concerns and tips about the return to group jogging, on topics ranging from the promotion of safe spaces and paths to managing social distancing at their groups.

Next webinar

Dr Murray’s session was the first of two webinars supporting jog leaders to return to group running. On Tuesday 1 April, Robert Nesbitt, the Head of Sport and Physical Activity for SAMH, will deliver a webinar on addressing fears and anxieties when returning to sport– if you are a jog leader and would like to join the webinar, please email jo.stevens@scottishathletics.org.uk.

You can find our current Covid guidelines for group activity on the Covid page of our website.