Why You Should Consider Running - If Your Body Permits!
The positive impact it can have on your overall health
- Written by Joe Jackson
The public health response to COVID-19 has put a grounding halt to professional and grassroots sports around the world. This impact has been felt across rightsholders, broadcasters, fans and participants alike. One such event that has been rescheduled is the London Marathon. The mass participation event raised over £66 million for charities last year, many of whom rely on this money to survive throughout the rest of the year.
Sensing the need to aid the plight of these charities, London Marathon director, Hugh Brasner and CEO of Human Race Ltd., Nick Rusling, set up the 2.6 Challenge. The idea behind this is that people choose a challenge, any challenge at all, related to the numbers 2.6 or 26 (the number of miles in a marathon, plus the date the event would have taken place), whilst simultaneously helping to fundraise for charity.
Inspired by their work, I was compelled to set my own 2.6 Challenge, trying to run 5km every day for 26 days. As of today, I am currently just over halfway through the challenge, and although my calves will not thank me for saying it, I am quietly enjoying it. I have also rediscovered the benefits of running, which are even more pertinent at this time.
So, why should we choose running?
Before we delve in, it’s worth mentioning that while we all associate running with the physical benefits that it offers, we acknowledge that not everyone can choose to do so as it can be tough on joints and injuries. If that’s the case, fear not - we also recommend some other great, low-impact exercises you can do whilst in isolation on our blog: here.
If you are physically capable, however, let’s look into a potentially undervalued aspect of running: its mental health benefits.
Mental Health
“Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion” - Gail W. Kislevitz, runner/author
#1 Aerobic exercise, such as long runs, helps curb stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, while also flooding your system with feel-good endorphins.
#2 Running increases the calming, good-mood brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine. So, while running itself is actually putting low-level physical stress on the body, it can be mentally relaxing.
The positive effect on our mood has been further confirmed by German scientists from the University of Bonn. In a 2008 study, they found that the body releases its own opiates - endorphins - in certain areas of the brain during long runs. [2]
Sleep
With many people complaining of experiencing poor sleep quality during isolation, running offers an inbuilt remedy. Read some extra sleep tips here!
#1 People who exercised at least 150 minutes a week were 65% less likely to say they felt overly sleepy during the day than those who exercised less
#2 Exercise can also help reduce sleep latency, or the time it takes to nod off
After controlling for age, BMI, health status, smoking status, and depression, the relative risk of often feeling overly sleepy during the day compared to never feeling overly sleepy during the day decreased by a factor of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44–0.97) for participants meeting physical activity guidelines, compared to those not meeting guidelines. Similar results were also found for having leg cramps while sleeping and having difficulty concentrating when tired. [3]
Sleep
With many people complaining of experiencing poor sleep quality during isolation, running offers an inbuilt remedy. Read some extra sleep tips here!
#1 People who exercised at least 150 minutes a week were 65% less likely to say they felt overly sleepy during the day than those who exercised less
#2 Exercise can also help reduce sleep latency, or the time it takes to nod off
After controlling for age, BMI, health status, smoking status, and depression, the relative risk of often feeling overly sleepy during the day compared to never feeling overly sleepy during the day decreased by a factor of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44–0.97) for participants meeting physical activity guidelines, compared to those not meeting guidelines. Similar results were also found for having leg cramps while sleeping and having difficulty concentrating when tired. [3]
Tips on building a habit
Make a plan: For those who want to get into running, the hardest part is often starting. Having a plan means that you have thought about it becoming a conscious part of your daily routine and are therefore more likely to maintain it.
Set a time: Like building any habit, it is best to set aside a specific time for running. I personally like running first thing in the morning or during my lunch hour at work. Experiment initially and see what works for you. Having the time set aside is the most important thing.
Reward yourself after the run: Following the run, reward yourself with a smoothie (we have some delicious recipes here) or a small piece of chocolate so the brain associates this with immediate reward. Retraining the brain in this way encourages it to become a habit.
Start with a short run: Do not get disparaged by how you feel when you first start running. Start with a reasonably short run and build your way up as your endurance and affinity for running increases.
And finally, the Truth Team's top running tips:
#1 Try to run outside as much as you can, this way you can mix up your route
#2 Do not forget strength training too. It is equally important!
#3 Warm-up before and stretch after
#4 Make sure you get adequate protein when recovering
#5 Use phone apps to track your pace, distance & improvements!
#6 Hydrate. Drink plenty of water post run
#7 Make sure you have the correct footwear
#8 Plan the days you run ahead of time
#9 Consider a club (when social distancing rules permit you to do so)
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