Labor leader Bill Shorten says a daily run is ‘a cure for anything’

WOULD-BE prime minister Bill Shorten has found a solution to cure one of our biggest issues — the hangover. Here’s his secret.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten going for a run at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

WOULD-BE Prime Minister Bill Shorten says rediscovering running has given him a political edge.

The Labor leader — who admits to first falling in love with running as a schoolboy — says exercise has given him “real sense of self confidence” and helped changed his image of himself.

Mr Shorten has told the July edition of Australian Men’s Health that a daily jog has become the only constant in his “crazy-hectic lifestyle.”

“It’s now become less of a fitness regimen and more a form of mental relaxation,” Mr Shorten says.

“When you’ve got three kids and you travel as much as I do, I don’t have time for something like golf but I can get away with an hour run. It’s your own time, your own space, which we all need.”

Bill Shorten warms up for a run in Sydney. Picture: Australian Men’s Health

Mr Shorten says a run can cure “anything” — from a “hangover to a bad poll”. Picture: Wesley Monts

A runner in his teens he laments that he gave up jogging when he became a full-time union official with the Australian Workers’ Union.

“When I went into parliament I started to run again but it wasn’t until I was preparing for last year’s election that I really stepped it up a gear,” Mr Shorten said.

He set himself a goal of running 1500km last year and finished with 2100km — losing 11kg.

The Opposition leader is aiming at around the same amount this year.

In April this year he took part in his 11th Herald Sun CityLink Run for the Kids.

Mr Shorten goes for a run. Picture: Kym Smith

“I find the hardest thing is putting on your running gear. Once you’ve got your gear on, you’ve got to go,” he told the magazine.

“It’s most difficult on days when the weather is appalling or I have to do a radio interview at 6.30 in the morning.”

“For me, a run is a cure for anything, from a hangover to a bad poll. There are no bad days when you run.”

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