Your Body Holds the Story – Learning to Listen

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been pushing hard — a load of traveling including 10 plane journeys, a 1,000 mile car drive along with long training sessions, high mileage, and relentless preparation for the RunChina.Run challenge. The physical demands are immense.

But what hit me recently wasn’t a race or a mountain — it was the fatigue that comes after the finish line, when the adrenaline fades and the body starts whispering, “slow down… I need a moment.”

I caught up with Stephen Timothy Kirwin for some deep bodywork therapy — and what an eye-opener it was.

Stephen doesn’t just “massage” — he listens to your body. His work is rooted in neuromuscular therapy and deep tissue release, but what he really offers is connection: to your muscles, to your breath, and to the emotional and physical tension that often gets buried under motion and momentum.

After the session, I took the day off. And as much as I struggled with the idea of stopping — I realised: rest is part of progress.

Your Body Remembers Everything

Our bodies are incredible machines — but they’re also memory banks. They carry the impact of old injuries, poor habits, emotional stress, even our lifestyle choices. In my case, years of endurance sport, adrenaline-fueled challenges, and pushing through pain have left their marks.

And this is where listening becomes critical. Not just training smart, but recovering smarter. Not just moving more, but learning to move better.

Why It Matters for RunChina.Run

As I prepare for my solo run from Beijing to Hong Kong with RunChina.Run, the message is clear: this isn’t just about covering distance. It’s about showing what’s possible when we honour our bodies — and how, in doing so, we can stand up for those who may not have the same freedom of movement.

Many of the people we’re supporting through the Action Asia Foundation live with physical disabilities. They understand better than anyone what it means to listen to your body — because for them, every step, every movement, is earned with intention.

That’s what inspires me. That’s why recovery, therapy, and bodywork are not luxuries — they are tools for sustainability. They’re how I show up, not just as a runner, but as a voice for this cause.

Final Thoughts: Move With Meaning

If you’re training, building, creating, leading — you need to look after the machine you live in. Make time for recovery. Get the massage. Stretch. Sleep. Breathe. See someone like Stephen Kirwin who understands what your body is really trying to say.

Because when you listen — you not only move better — you live better.

🔗 Learn more about the journey: www.runchina.run🙌 Support the mission: Helping people with disabilities access sport, nature & wellness

💆‍♂️ Therapy that works: Stephen Kirwin Therapies

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About Jo LodderJo Lodder is an ultra-endurance runner, entrepreneur, and founder of the Action Asia Foundation - Run for Ability campaign. In October 2025, he will take on a world-first challenge — running over 3,000km from Beijing to Hong Kong in 60 days — to raise USD 1 million for the disabled community through the Action Asia Foundation. His mission is simple: run for those who can’t and help people with disabilities discover their superpower.

Follow the journey or donate at www.RunChina.Run

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