Meet the Manx Trio Behind the Wellbeing Craze Sweeping the Island

In the first week of spring 2021, a bright idea emerged on Laxey Beach: Morning Momentum.

Founded by friends Elliott Cureton, Ian Kirk, and Michael Howland, this fitness and wellbeing movement champions an early start to the day.

While most of us are tucked safely in our beds, the trio regularly wake-up at the crack of dawn to lead groups of enthusiasts on regular activity driven jaunts—combining sea dips, running, and a dash of camaraderie to jump-start mornings in the most positive way.

The inspiration behind Morning Momentum came from Ian who was diagnosed with a bowel condition in 2013.

Battling illness along with heartbreak, he opted for a natural route to recovery rather than conventional medicine.

His search led him to the teachings of Wim Hof—“The Iceman”—a Dutch extreme athlete and TV personality known for climbing Everest in shorts and running a marathon in the Namibian desert without water.

Ian said: ‘He climbed Everest in a pair of shorts, getting to up into the death zone.

‘He ran a marathon in the Namibian desert without drinking any water. So it wasn’t just the cold, but also the extreme heat that he’s pushed his body through.

‘He also sat in an ice bath for two hours regulating his own body temperature to bring his method to the world, which is a combination of breathing techniques to reduce inflammation in the body.’

‘I wanted to pass on Wim’s message as part of his mission to help the world be healthy, happy and strong using natural methods.

‘You start your day in the most positive way you can.

‘Then you are set up for the rest of the day.’

Inspired by Ian, Elliott and Michael fell in love with the concept of sea dipping soon after.

Eventually, the trio incorporated running into their morning routines.

Recalling the first time he fully submerged himself during a morning dip, Michael said: ‘I felt lit, best day ever.

‘We carried on doing it. I thought “this is really tough. I wonder how we can make it a bit easier?”.

‘I found if we went running first, warmed the body up and got in the water, it was a little bit easier.

‘Plus, you get the endorphins from the running, and you get the dopamine hit from the cold water.

‘And then if you’re doing it with a mate, you get your oxytocin as well. So it’s a good, good combo. And yeah, no better way to start your day.’

Today, Morning Momentum invites anyone to try this invigorating combination of exercise, cold-water therapy, and community.

They share updates and coordinate meetups on Instagram at @morningmomentum and their page on Facebook.

Watch the video above to hear Ian, Elliott and Michael talk about Morning Momentum.