Running offers structure but also a sense of freedom, two things neurodivergent minds crave in different ways.
Sydney was diagnosed with ADHD aged 26. For years, she knew something felt different; school and university felt harder than they should have.
“I always felt like I was having to work a lot harder, and that I didn’t seem to be able to understand or process things in the same way that other people did,” Sydney says.
Lara was 27 when she learned she was autistic, after a period of struggling with mental health and feeling out of sync with those around her.
“Getting diagnosed was like unlearning everything I thought I knew about myself,” she says. “It changed how I managed my day, my energy, my social life, everything.”
Their diagnoses came as a mix of relief and rediscovery. For the first time, they could see their differences clearly and stop blaming themselves. In their own way, they also discovered that running was a practical way to manage their neurodivergence.
Sydney grew up in an active household, trying everything from cycling to team sports. In her 20s, she focused on weight lifting. It wasn’t until later that she felt drawn to running. She says being active helps her brain slow down enough to process her thoughts.
“Because my brain works so fast, sometimes to make sense of things I need to move,” she explains. “It’s the same with running, I can process things better while my body’s moving.
She laughs, adding, “I’ve always been someone who multitasks, that’s just how my brain works.”
For Lara, movement came when she was trying to make sense of her diagnosis.
“I went for a run to see if moving would help me process my thoughts, and it did. That first run clicked. I loved the feeling it gave me mentally, and I knew I’d found something I’d like.”
Running is a proactive tool for Lara, a way to regulate before sensory overwhelm builds, and she heads out first thing to set the tone for the day.
“Running mimics stimming for me,” she says. “The rhythm and repetition quieten my mind and help me process emotions. What I’m really after is mental clarity. It’s not about reacting to sensory overload. It’s about staying ahead of it.”
Sydney was drawn to the running community from the start, as the social side really appealed to her.
“It’s funny, with ADHD, I’ve always been told I’m too much. But in running, that energy fits. People get it,” she says.
“Having people around me makes it easier to show up and stay consistent. It’s that shared energy and connection that keeps me coming back.”
That energy is present in Gym Girls Locker Room - a private, women-only Facebook group that’s grown into a 300,000-strong global community - which Sydney created to offer a safe space for women to support each other.
Lara, on the other hand, started running alone.
“It was my time, the space where I could process my thoughts,” she says. “When you’re autistic and trying something new, you want to do it in a space that feels safe. For me, that was being on my own. Running solo gave me space to be a beginner, which is already intense, without any added socialising expectations.”
After running the 2023 TCS London Marathon, that changed.
“I started working with my coach, Manni, and joining his run club, LDN SLCT, completely took my running journey to the next level.”
For Sydney and many other neurodivergent people, balance can feel elusive when your brain runs on all-or-nothing. Sydney gives a knowing laugh.
“I’ll find something new, love it, and immediately decide I am going to try to become a professional at it,” she says. “Calisthenics, CrossFit, swimming, triathlon, I’ve done them all. I’m all or nothing.”
Sydney is still learning how to slow down, but has realised that doing less sometimes helps her enjoy it more.
Lara says she went through something similar as running soon became her “special interest”.
“It was all I thought about, watched, talked about, everything. But when you go all in like that, burnout isn’t far behind.”
Over time, she’s learned to recognise the early signs of fatigue and to be kind to herself, understanding that recovery is what keeps her consistent.
Sydney ran her first marathon in August, fittingly, the TCS Sydney Marathon, and Lara is spending next year laying the groundwork for her next marathon.
They’ve both found how powerful movement can be. It’s a reminder that when it comes to running, there’s no one way to do it, just the way that works for you.
Written by Lara Sullivan an autistic runner and advocate for neurodivergent inclusion in sport. She shares her journey openly to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and inspire others to find empowerment through movement. You can follow her journey on Instagram and TikTok.
