GRV RNG are a new running brand whose aim is to help people feel good through running! Starting in mid-2022, GRV RNG have been partnered with ANDYSMANCLUB, donating a percentage of profits to our charity and shouting loud and proud about our message and mission!

AMC: How did you first come to hear of ANDYSMANCLUB?

GRV: We first heard about Andy’s Man Club through friends mentioning the charity. And so after reading more about their work and eventually meeting Lucas (Marketing), partnering was a no brainier. After joining the AMC team flyering at The Great North Run, to watching Will’s incredible cycling challenge unfold on social, our GRV RNG team have seen first hand in the time we’ve been working together that AMC are dedicated to making the men’s mental health conversation louder.

GRV RNG was founded with a mission to help people, of all ages and abilities, to feel good through running. But we know running can’t solve everything so our mission doesn’t stop there. For us, “feeling good” means taking care of your mental health - something that still isn’t talked about enough, especially amongst men - and so we were really keen to support a charity partner we could work with to raise funds, and awareness.

Talking with others is an amazing way to alleviate mental health strain and it really is OK to talk. We believe that running regularly can work in combination with talking more, providing a time and space to positively open up, be it by yourself or with others.

That’s why we’re so excited to partner with AMC and loudly promote the message that #ItsOkayToTalk

AMC: Can you explain the concept of feel good running to us?

GRV: Feel good running is a philosophy that sits at the heart of GRV RNG (groove running). We design our clothes to help you look good and feel good on the run, whilst working with AMC to ensure that every garment purchased includes a donation that supports their efforts towards men’s mental health.

We are a brand designed for all levels of running but, most importantly, those that are looking for a new way to run that’s not dependent on sweat, hustle and PBs. A community brought together by the simple mission to feel good running.

AMC: What do you think the main mental health benefits are of physical activity?

GRV: Physically moving your body and getting outdoors does wonders for your mind and body, but we are big fans of these three wins:

Running can control stress and boost the body's ability to deal with existing mental tension. Exercise also increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that helps moderate the brain's response to stress.

The runners high - running increases hormones responsible for the famous “runners high”. Recent research suggests that the euphoric feeling you get after a hard workout may result from endorphins and endocannabinoids working in tandem. Most people have heard of endorphins, but endocannabinoids, are a group of neurotransmitters that are thought to be responsible for the feeling of calm euphoria that occurs after a strenuous workout. Scientists say they are the bodies naturally produced equivalent of cannabis, hence the relaxed feeling!

Getting bright light into your eyes early in the day can help us become more alert, sleep better later at night, improve mood, and reduce depression symptoms. All the more reason to get out for that morning run.

AMC: Can you go into your own story and what led you to set up GRV RNG?

GRV: GRV RNG was born in lock down. Stuck in side, little contact with the world and not much to do.

That’s when we turned to running to help structure our days, get us outside and give us a better perspective on what was going on.

Whilst running more and with nothing to do stuck at home, we began to shop for some new running gear, but were uninspired by the choice. Most brands focused on running fast, hard and achieving a time, whilst those that were a little more creative or exciting were very expensive.

This combination sparked an idea - a brand that could promote the feeling of uplift we got from running during lockdown and a product designed to make the wearer feel good whilst out running, at whatever pace.

AMC: What would you say to someone who is thinking of trying running for the first time?

GRV: Firstly take the pressure off, don’t run just to lose weight or to be faster than your friend - both of those things may come in time, but start by running for the sake of running and feeling good whilst you do it.

After that we can get more practical and we like to talk about the 3 Ss:

Start Slow - slow is a relative term and everyone from Mo Farah to a new runner should always start off at a pace that feels “slow” to them individually. It might feel great to race out the house but you’ll end up tired, grumpy and hating running. Start slow and it’ll seem like less of a hurdle to put your trainers on, give you time to take in what’s around you and warm your body up properly.

Stretch - the tendency is to get out the minute you put your shoes on but a short stretch will save your legs. We like to think of it as a safe space to take some time to yourself too, knowing that you’re about to go out and run.

Scenery - running on a treadmill is not for everyone, some would say it’s monotonous and boring. So we try to get out to run in nature and interesting areas you may otherwise not explore. See this as a chance to get to know your local area, or somewhere new, a bit better.

You can find out more about GRV RNG by visiting their website - CLICK HERE