Wellness Travel: How England’s Running Culture Inspired My Return to Morning Cardio

I recently returned from a tour of England, which concluded in Edinburgh, Scotland. I visited because English culture has, in some ways, influenced my life, mainly financially. As a parent, I was inspired to set up a trust fund for generational wealth after watching countless English period dramas that revolved around inheritance. I particularly enjoyed the stories that weren’t centered around families warring over who would inherit; instead, the story was about a kind aunt, family friend, or business partner who thoughtfully bequeathed wealth to benefit the future of a group, company, or town. Little Dorrit and North and South come to mind. But when I actually visited England, what influenced me most—and something I could not have predicted—was the running culture.

A Running Culture That Shows Up

Now, America has a running culture, too. But I saw key differences in the runners I observed while in England:

1. Running wasn’t a niche activity confined to major metro areas like in America; it was everywhere in nine cities and towns I visited on my way from London to Edinburgh.
2. People ran at all hours—early morning, mid-day, late night.
3. Runners were often in pairs or small groups, yet solo runners were common too.
4. The age range was wide—from young adults to seniors.

I was struck by how normalized it was. From London to Bath, to the cobblestone paths of York and Edinburgh, people were out running.

And they weren’t wearing the latest high-performance gear either. Some were in simple joggers, hoodies, or even casual clothes—more focused on movement than image.

I’ve since learned that my observations, align with the UK’s emphasis on community-based running initiatives. For instance, Parkrun, a free weekly 5k event, has become a significant part of British running culture, promoting inclusivity and attracting participants of all ages and abilities

My Running History

It has been over sixteen years since I’ve had a steady morning running schedule. Back when I focused on bodybuilding (2005–2011), I followed a 6–7-day/week double-split training schedule: cardio in the morning and strength training in the evening on a split routine. Since I changed my routine to focus on skill and longevity—incorporating calisthenic and gymnastic strength, mobility, and flexibility—the double-split training fell away in favor of just a once-per-day, split schedule, five days per week. As far as morning cardio went, prioritizing sleep, different work schedules, and pursuing goals outside of the gym became my focus. Time felt too short to get up earlier for a quick HIIT sprinting session or a jog. But over the years, my body has been changing, and I know reincorporating a double-split schedule can give me that edge I need to get my body where I prefer it. Still, I had not been able to stop myself from hitting the snooze button every time I tried to reincorporate a morning run.

Travel as Inspiration

Prior to visiting England, I had been trying to find a way to convince myself to start running in the morning again. But travel can really provide inspiration to make changes in your life. Each day, I walked through cities like York, established around 71 AD, which is still thriving with people on the streets day and night. I was in ancient towns with strong clubbing cultures. Centuries-old buildings and castles were the backdrop of people, young and old, living out their modern lives. I could not help but think about the endurance of the people and their culture, and that translated to a new understanding of perseverance: I have to persevere, too. If I want to still thrive on into the future and not simply let my body age and change in ways that have been bothering me for years, the least I can do is persevere: get out of bed in the morning and hit the pavement. Run. Take care of myself. Thrive for as long as I can and be my own legacy.

So after 16 years of hitting the snooze button, I have so far woken up every day to run or at least walk in the morning five days per week. As an added benefit, I’ve found myself feeling sleepy at a decent hour instead of staying up till 12 AM most nights, as I had for the past year. Now, with my physical activity and daylight exposure balanced, I sleep and wake earlier so I can maintain a morning cardio schedule.

I happy to experience the changing of the seasons again while moving through nature—something I really missed after my workouts moved primarily indoors 16 years ago when I stopped doing morning cardio.

Thank you, England—and Scotland—for re-inspiring me to get out of bed and take up running again; an unexpected but welcoming takeaway from my brief trip abroad.

Interested in Wellness Travel?

LLAFIT offers wellness travel tours and custom getaways. To learn more, visit TravelToRestore.com. TravelToRestore.com was created by Sylvia Petro, the creator of LLAFIT and Sylvia Petro & Travel Advisors travel agency. The agency specializes in wellness, luxury, solo, and group travel. Coming from a twenty-year-long fitness and wellness background, Sylvia Petro & Advisors puts thoughtful wellness, solo, group, and luxury travel at the forefront of offerings. All four categories offer the option to renew, relax, regroup, and/or reenergize–by yourself, as a couple, or with friends and family.

Leave the planning and booking to Sylvia Petro & Advisors, so you can fully immerse yourself in rejuvenation, relaxation, and adventure. Contact Sylvia Petro & Advisors to design your ideal getaway–on land, at sea, or both!

LLAFIT Senior Writer/Editor

As an athlete for over 22 years and a broke single mom for most of that time, I created brokesinglemomfitness.com, now LLAFIT.com, to aid anyone who believes the road to fitness requires a lot of cash or time. In reality, the way to fitness is paved with knowledge and firm principles; teaching readers how to master both is the goal of this site. LLAFIT – Lifelong Applied Fitness