How did the mood booster podcast come to be?

Dr Marcus' Version

"Oh that’s so cool, where did the idea come from?”

“Awesome, how did you get started?” 

“What inspired you to start?” 

“How did you meet?” 

Questions Charlie and I are most frequently met with. The go-to's whenever we meet someone new and tell them what we’re up to. All of which roughly translate to the same question... “How did The Mood Booster Podcast come to be?”  

It’s a wonderful question. To me it shows intrigue and genuine interest. What better way of getting to know someone or something than by understanding its roots? It’s also one we never tire of answering. For us, it conjures up feelings of nostalgia, excitement, remembering those times when all we had was endless opportunities and an abyss of ventures yet to come. It also gives us a chance to show off. To talk about the thing we’re most proud of. We cement our passion and refine our vision with every retelling.​

And so, as it's one of our most asked questions, I thought why not write to it, setting those beautiful memories in written form. To share not just how it started, but why it matters to us. 

Dr Marcus here. I hope you’re well. Let’s get into it! 

It starts with The Monday Mood Booster Run Club. We start here because importantly, this club laid the foundations for everything Charlie and I do.

In September 2023 I had been running every day for 1,000 days. Yeah, you read that right. Madness, I know! In aid of the milestone, I arranged a fundraiser to raise money for the hospice that cared for my Dad, Chris, in his final weeks before passing away in 2016. In arranging this event, I brought together 60+ wonderful people for a group run. People from all walks of life whom I had met throughout the preceding 1,000 days and beyond. What was really wonderful was seeing all these strangers come together all connecting over one shared activity, running.  

At the same time, I was beginning to wrap up my PhD thesis and was in desperate need of some escapism. Being a Psychologist, I saw irony in the perpetual loop I found myself in. Feeling the strain this work had on my mental health, while knowing how to fix it, but doing very little about it, thus feeling more tired and burnt out. I wanted to find a space outside of my home bubble where I could offload, or even better, pretend the PhD wasn’t happening! 

Another piece of important context was that I had been attending some great run clubs in London in the year leading up to The Monday Mood Booster. All great in their own way, but to me, always missing something important. A true and genuine safe space and a real feeling of inclusivity for all. I think the other run clubs that I love are all associated with mega brands, and as such, there’s always some level of formality and top-down separation, even with the best pacers and ambassadors in the world. I wanted to find a place where people could feel that they owned their community, and that each individual had the opportunity to feel integral to the heart of it. I think (know) that I could dive a lot deeper into this topic in itself, and will make sure to give this attention in another blog. But in the interest of not diverting too far off-piste, I’ll summarise my motivations as this: 

I created The Monday Mood Booster after being inspired by bringing people together for a shared cause and seeing the wonderful things that happen when humans genuinely connect over a shared passion. I wanted to facilitate a pace inclusive run club where everyone felt at home and could feel safe in their community. Selfishly, I wanted that for myself too. So, on 2nd October 2023, the first run took place.  

What emerged was an incredible club of wonderful people. Each member caring for the other and truly investing in the success, prosperity, and happiness of the next person. I began to witness a connection far beyond comradery. Human connection that facilitated a safe space for learning, growth, and finding joy as one.  

... So where does Charlie come into this? What about the podcast?  

Historically, one of my favourite run clubs in London was On run club from their Spitalfields store on a Wednesday evening. I used to go nearly every week without fail. 1st May 2024 (yes, I checked the camera roll), the run club leader asked me to run with the club speaker and be in charge of the music. So of course, I opened up to the club for song requests. Next thing I know, this odd looking chap comes up and asks for a Kylie Minogue song (I can’t remember which one). Naturally, I obliged. Thinking nothing of it, two weeks later I’m back at On track night on a Friday evening. I’m approached by the same odd looking chap. He tells me he’s signed up to join my run club’s group trip to Lake Garda for an upcoming half marathon race we were doing. 

I completely loved this. In all honestly, I had forgotten our encounter two weeks prior, so was under the impression this guy just randomly coming up to someone he’d never met (me) to say hi. He had the confidence and open-mindedness to not only introduce himself to a stranger but to sign up to a whole trip abroad with a group of people he did not know. Incredible energy. I massively admired this. For the rest of the evening, we pretty much ran together (I helped him with his pacing), and it was the first of many many runs to come. If you hadn’t guessed, this guy was Charlie.  

What ensued in the following months was a back and forth of training runs either followed by pints at the pub or food at mine with my housemates. During this time, the seed for The Mood Booster Podcast was planted and I hadn’t even realised.   

Charlie and I very quickly dove into real conversations with quite a lot of depth to them. We would speak about our fathers, our different types of grief, and our general mental health in quite some depth. At the same time, we would offer feedback to one another, critically challenging the others’ mindset or schemas. This felt easy, comfortable, and always safe. For both of us, this was a dynamic we had not experienced in a male friendship before. We were helping each other learn and grow, raising each other up to face our own respective challenges.  

This is where it’s important to bring in The Monday Mood Booster. At the same time, we have this club that is thriving with a community of caring, compassionate and healing individuals. I was seeing the deep connections, mutual growth and real collectivism amongst a group of people. Self-indulgently, I was proud to have facilitated a space that could have such an expansive and lasting impact on so many individuals. That came from me, and the values I instilled into this club (again, I intend on unpacking this more at a later date!). 

While this was going on, I was also on the come down having successfully defended my PhD (in psychology). I was going through a bit of a mental health spiral at this “big” transition phase, not knowing what was next for my academic career. You finish a PhD and there are all of these internal and external expectations and pressures to go onto something huge. “What’s next?” still gives me a chill down my spine. I can’t tell you the amount of times I was greeted with this question.  

Ultimately, I was on the search for a way to turn this ten+ years of education into something with meaning and impact, to help others. But I didn’t know how I wanted to do this, or where to even start.  

During all of this, I was seeing the huge formative impact my inclusive value driven run community was having on its members. Charlie and I were levelling up our conversations, really diving deep into the psychology behind not only ours, but all human behaviour. More to that, we were having so much fun while doing it. Forging a friendship through shared activities, adventures, and laughter (joy!). All these things were aligning in front of my eyes, but I was so deep in the “what next” spiral, I couldn’t see what was in front of me.  

By this point, I think you see where we’re getting to. The light bub moment.  

I’ve always wanted to talk about my work and my expertise, but didn’t want to do it alone. I am someone who loves to share an experience, and this definitely translates to my working ethos. The idea of creating a whole venture built on passion and expertise alone feels lonely. Why not share the experience and have the best time while doing it?  

One December day Charlie and I were having a conversation about his future desires and aspirations as well as mine. In one moment, like everything from the last year falling into place, the light bulb sparked. Here is someone very quickly becoming my best mate, sharing the exact same values (mostly) for growth, connection, and helping others. Why not bring these conversations to life and share what we’re doing with others? I’ve seen these values help so many at the run club already, it’s the perfect way of being able to share this on a wider scale.  

Once the idea was in my mind, it all just came in a huge tidal wave of confirmation. It all became clear, and was one of those “this was obvious all along” moments. We had met at a time we both needed and were looking for something more, the run club was flourishing, we had all of this energy and desire to help not only ourselves but other people. It was all just perfectly aligned, and sitting right there waiting to be created. Serendipity? Fate? Hard work coming to fruition? Whatever it was, it was go time.  

The Mood Booster Podcast. This was just the beginning....