Running is my favorite exercise. I started running six years ago, and have participated in area races and three half marathons.
Starting, I was battling weight issues, and I knew I had to do something to improve my lifestyle.
I started with one mile around my block, and it hurt. I was unfit and overweight, but determined.
I found a few tricks, and within a few weeks, I had made a running habit.
Benefits of Running
Running is a full-body workout, making it one of the most effective exercises.
Whether you are battling weight issues like I was or want to be more active in your life, the benefits of running exceed your imagination.
It Increases Longevity
Running is proven to add quality years to your life. In this research, it is shown how running reduces early mortality.
It concludes that any running is better, even once a week. Another study shows how running can increase your lifespan by three years.
Weight loss
Regular running will help you lose weight. I dedicated a few hours of my weeks to running, and it immensely aided my weight loss plans.
When you run, you burn a lot of calories, and this helps you lose weight. The British Journal of Sports Medicine says, in this study, that you can burn approximately 100 calories for each mile you run.
While losing weight could be your main goal, you should know that once you reach your desired weight, it is essential to maintain it. With a productive running habit, you can commit up to 300 minutes weekly, and you will have a proper weight management routine.
If you were to supplement this exercise with a good, balanced diet, you would lose the unwanted weight and live a happier and healthier life.
Better Immunity
Running helps your body keep disease, inflammation, and other health problems at bay.
According to David Nieman, a former marathoner, running enhances your overall immunity by; reducing the risk of upper respiratory infections, improving antibody response, and enhancing gut microbiota composition.
To enjoy these benefits, Nieman encourages moderate running as excessive running can lead to lower immunity. A lowered immunity would be caused by overworking your organs and muscles, thereby leading to strains and injuries.
This analysis supports the theory of moderate exercise, confirming that it can potentially lower the risk of infection, which would improve your immunity.
Improved Cognitive Function
Your mental health might not be a motivation to get you running. However, a study has shown how your brain benefits from running.
When you run, you increase your heart rate, which, in turn, raises your blood flow. For your brain, this means flesh blood, rich in oxygen, gets pushed to your brain.
Running stimulates the release of the protein brain derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, enhancing the growth and survival of neurons found in the brain. According to this study, high-intensity exercises, like running, improve total brain volume.
These effects of running, therefore, protect you from conditions of cognitive decline linked to brain plaques and brain-related conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Better Mental Health
I was motivated by weight loss when I started running, but even my mental health immensely improved. I effectively overcame anxiety and depression when I ran.
Exercises, such as running, have been attributed to positive outcomes like treating depression.
It has also been confirmed that exercise can easily replace prescription meds and psychotherapy.
The American Psychological Association says there is evidence linking exercise to treating mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
It is, however, vital to not solely rely on running for depression treatment. It is a serious medical condition, and running should only be used to supplement other vital medical approaches.
Reduced Risks of Diseases
Running will immensely improve your quality of life. When you run, you reduce the risks of suffering from diabetes.
It does so by regulating glucose absorption. The American Diabetes Association says running can prevent Type 2 diabetes.
This type of diabetes is mostly caused by a poor lifestyle comprising of poor diet and sedentary living. Running can also benefit those with Type 1 diabetes that is caused by genetics.
Another benefit of running is that it improves your heart health. It strengthens the wall of your heart through the intake of more significant amounts of oxygen, and your heart can pump more blood.
Regular running reduces your chances of heart problems by 30 to 55%. This statistic is because the more you run, the more you ease blood flow, reducing the risk of blood clots in arteries.
Running helps you lower your blood pressure and levels of cholesterol. If you suffer from high blood pressure, a high-intensity exercise like running helps lower it. A study suggests high-intensity training can lower blood pressure, and running is one such exercise.
Better Self-Confidence
Running will boost your esteem in all aspects of life. It will teach you to take one step at a time, which will culminate in achieved dreams and goals.
When starting, running may seem like a challenging practice, but with determination and discipline, you will build momentum and continually find the strength to make it a habit.
Once you run regularly, the progress you make in improving your lifestyle will give you a much-needed confidence boost. Running improves your physical appearance, and this can only lead to better esteem.
How Can You Run?
There are several ways you can run depending on your needs, fatigue resistance, and available time.
You can measure the time you will run in miles and minutes. Doing this helps you see the progress you are making and approximate how much the running is improving your lifestyle.
The following are the types of runs you can start. These are designed for professional runners, but you can also adjust them to fit your abilities.
Base Run
It is an easy run, or jog, which you perform at your normal pace. You can decide the distance you can go or how long you will run.
It is the type of run you perform frequently, and it can be a great pre-workout exercise. It helps you build endurance, loosen tight muscles, and improve aerobic activity, which leaves you very energetic.
Recovery Run
This run is best done after a vigorous workout. It is short and performed at a slow pace. It is to help you stretch and build endurance.
Progression Run
If you have built some endurance, this is the type of run you should do.
Running, you start at your average pace, run for some distance, and then finish with speed. Starting at average pace serves as a pre-workout practice, and once you have built momentum and stretched any tight muscles, you increase the speed for maximum benefits.
It should be relatively long; you should run for about 20 or 30 minutes.
Fartlek
Like the progression run, this type should also be a few miles.
You mix intervals of average and fast pace when running. To be effective, you can plan five minutes of average pace and 3 minutes of a faster pace. Interchanging like this helps you enjoy the run.
You also build endurance and fatigue resistance.
Hill Repeats
This is a type of run performed uphill. It is a high-intensity training for athletes and experienced runners.
If you are new to running and want to increase the intensity of your runs, you can find a path that goes uphill rather than flat.
With this run, you will build aerobic power, fatigue resistance, and endurance while enjoying all the benefits of running.
You can perform this run for a short distance when starting.
Fast Run
This run should help you increase speed and fatigue resistance. You swarm up before running.
Start at a regular pace, then switch to your fastest speed and run as far as you can endure. Then, lower the pace and finish slow.
Interval Run
This type includes all the styles discussed above. If you are at an advanced running level, you can start with a jog and slowly increase speed.
When you get exhausted, you can lower the speed or even stand to recover. Once you recover, you can continue running again, repeating the cycle.
It is ideal for long distances and helps you improve endurance, fitness, and fatigue resistance.
Who Should Run?
Running is a healthy exercise that can be performed by anyone.
All that is needed for anyone is to start small and build up momentum. You can start by walking, and then jogging, and finally running at your highest pace.
If at an advanced age, you can walk for a reasonable distance and enjoy better health.
People who make healthy running habits enjoy healthy and longer lifestyles. This research shows that people who run in their mid-50s and above enjoy more years than their age mates who don’t.
How to Develop a Running Habit
As running is very beneficial to your lifestyle, you can try the following tricks to get you running.
Make a Conscious Decision to Run
The first step, arguably the most important, is to decide why you should start running.
It is important to know why running will be good for you. This means you get a good reason to start running and base it on your lifestyle needs.
These are some reasons you could decide to start running:
- You need to lose weight.
- You need to reduce the risks of certain diseases.
- You have arthritis or joint pain, and you want to run to loosen muscles and thus alleviate the pain.
- You are preparing for a race.
- You want to make it your workout routine. You can also run to warm up before going to the gym.
Make a Plan
Think about your schedule: When do you go to and come from work? How long can you run? How many minutes can you run daily?
These three questions can serve as your cues on making a running plan that will work.
Once you know your most convenient time to run, you can find a way to motivate yourself, and then a reward after running.
When I started running, I decided to do so every 20 minutes in the morning; it was the only time I could run before going to work.
I would then put on my headphones to listen to energizing music, and I would run to the beats of this music.
Once finished, I would reward myself with a long hot shower, which would leave me energized the whole day.
Likewise, you should make a plan, and post it somewhere in the center of your home where you frequent often to see it first thing in the morning.
Run Regularly
If you want to have a running habit, make a regular pre-run routine that your body and mind can adjust to. This is similar to regular workouts that help you create muscle memory.
It will help you stay prepared to run at a specific time of the day, during a particular day of the week.
Make it easier by putting your gear somewhere front and center, and have the same music playlist ready.
This is a trigger to help you create a neural pathway with which you can make a consistent habit.
Take Rest Days
Resting is vital with any exercise. It helps your body recover and avoid injury. When making a running plan, ensure you include a few rest days in a week.
You will also have time to look forward to the next session without feeling a lot of pressure.
Get a Support System
Having a running mate can help you develop a running habit. If you can, find a group of people you can run with to help you stay motivated and reduce the pressure of having to reach your goals alone.
Running mates can help you track your progress, and running as a group will feel like a socializing meeting.
Other people can also give you better tips and better running habits, which would encourage some flexibility in your exercise.
Final Thoughts
Running is a great exercise; it is versatile, fun, effective, and progressive.
When I made running a habit, I lost over 20 pounds, and I have been able to maintain a healthy weight since.
If weight loss is your motivation, you lose hundreds of calories every week you run. You are not only going to lose weight, but you will also avoid many other illnesses and boost your confidence.
Running is challenging when you start, but once you make it a habit, it becomes such a great part of your day to day life.
It opens new opportunities for you; you can join a big race, become a professional runner, and improve your socialization skills.
If you have a condition, such as asthma, diabetes, and arthritis, consult your doctor before committing to any plan.
