Running the Great West Chase, or Just Watching It Go By

Psychiatry | WellMinded Health

On Halloween morning, Brompton Drive in West Park Village fills with over a thousand runners in costume, chasing a chip-timed 10K or 5K that started twenty-five years ago as a small neighborhood 5K. This year is the Great West Chase’s 25th anniversary, and it lands on the holiday itself, October 31st.

I’m not writing this to convince you to sign up. I’m writing it because the race is a useful, low-pressure entry point into something I talk about with patients constantly: movement and mood.

The evidence, kept honest

Exercise isn’t a cure for anxiety or depression, and I won’t pretend it is. Regular physical activity can support mood, help manage stress, and improve sleep. The benefits vary from person to person, and movement works best as one part of a broader care plan.

Why a local 5K beats a January gym membership

A new year’s resolution to “work out more” is vague, unglamorous, and easy to quietly abandon by February. A local race is the opposite of that on every count:

• A fixed date, so it’s a commitment, not an open-ended intention

• Social accountability, since half of Westchase will be there either running or cheering

• A visible finish line, both literally and as a clear goal to work toward

• Built-in celebration, the Great West Chase’s after-party alone is reason enough to show up

A date on the calendar and a finish line can turn a vague intention into a manageable goal.

If running isn’t your thing

You don’t have to register to get something out of this. A twenty-minute walk along the same Linebaugh Avenue route, on an ordinary Tuesday, can be a manageable way to build movement into your week, no bib number required. The race is stroller-friendly and built for a mix of paces, but walking the neighborhood regularly can also support your well-being. Choose a pace and distance that suit you.

A specific note for ADHD brains

If you’ve read anything else on this blog, you know I talk about ADHD often. For some people with ADHD, a scheduled event, a new activity, or making plans with a friend may make it easier to get started and follow through. That structure won’t work the same way for everyone. Treat it as an option to try alongside your usual care, rather than a treatment for ADHD on its own.

Movement is a piece, not the whole plan

I want to be clear about scope here. Movement supports a treatment plan. It doesn’t replace one. If anxiety or depression is affecting your daily life, a 5K isn’t a substitute for an actual evaluation, it’s a complement to one.