I have gone for something a little different. Running Punks was founded by Jimmy and Rhodri - two old friends from Wales who used to play in a band together. Running Punks is now a global running group started with the aim of combining the health benefit of running and music. Although Jimmy was a successful professional runner in the past (he broke several national records and competed at an international level), none of them considered themselves traditional runners. Despite this, they had a real understanding of how powerful running could be, not only in terms of physical health but also for mental health as well.
What made Running Punks a very different group was the way they combined their love of running and music in such a creative way and attracted a huge amount of people to join them. From a musical perspective, Jimmy said that he was not necessarily a person who enjoyed listening to playlists but that he enjoyed the process and journey of listening to an album as a whole. During lockdown, he decided to use the concept of listening to a new album and the energy he got from the experience every time he went running, and out of this he started reviewing music, old and new. In the video below you will see Jimmy reviewing the album Bato Mato by Adwaith.
Running Punks is no ordinary creative project but it is a perfect example of the power of art to inspire people and give them hope to effect change in their lives. It also shows how music can bring people together in the most unexpected of ways helping to create new and strong communities and networks. Running Punks is a completely independent project that has not received any sponsorship or financial support from the Arts Council or Wales Arts International.
Websites and social media
Website: www.runningpunks.com
Instagram: @runningpunks
X: @runningpunks
Credits
Video: Jimmy Watkins
Photo: Anita Rice
Ani Glass is our guest curator for #PethauBychain 2024. Read about the theme she chose and the other selected projects here: