Regular exercise can make you feel better in mind and body but only do the recommended amount of physical activity each week. Here are five ways running can benefit your health.
1. It improves physical fitness
Running has : it strengthens muscles, improves cardiorespiratory fitness and helps build strong bones. It improves cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of hypertension and heart disease and other health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, stroke and obesity.
Rodrigo Ramirez, 39, is training for his first marathon, the Medibank Melbourne Marathon happening on October 15. Ramirez, who moved to Melbourne from Chile eight years ago, tells SBS he’s noticed how his health has improved since he started running regularly: he’s got a lot more energy, is more in tune with how his body feels and his state of wellbeing is heightened.
“My body fat has decreased dramatically. I’ve never shown my six-pack in my life, but… I’m nearly there,” Ramirez laughs.
It’s a no-brainer that running helps improve physical fitness, but it also has a positive effect on the brain too. Running enhances memory and cognition. It also causes us to create new brain cells – “the mental equivalent of a sharpened pencil and clean sheet of paper,” , author of Footnotes: How Running Makes Us Human.
2. Exercise can improve your mental health
Physical exercise like running can help can help reduce symptoms of depression, a condition that affects 1 million people in Australia each year.
Running may also and . Its positive effects can be felt straight away, thanks to mood-improving endorphins that course through the body after a run. “You challenge yourself, you go through the pain, but when you finish, it’s beautiful,” says Ramirez. “You feel happy that you achieved something, that you’ve done something for yourself.”
3. It’s free
When household budgets are under strain, gym memberships and yoga classes can be prohibitively expensive.
Running, on the other hand, costs very little. The most expensive piece of kit you need is a good pair of supportive shoes to minimise the chance of injury.
It’s also accessible. You don’t need to wait for a class or drive across town to the gym – you can run anywhere, anytime.
4. Runners live longer
Runners live around three years longer than their jogging-averse counterparts, according to published in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease in 2017.
The researchers calculated that a one-hour jog adds around seven hours to a person’s life – something to keep in mind next time you head out for a 10-kilometre run. The study found that increased longevity levelled out at around four hours’ running each week.
Running can also improve your health, yielding a positive impact on your weight, heart health and overall sense of wellbeing. University of Queensland research found that high levels of physical activity - 15 to 20 hours of brisk walking or six to eight hours of running a week - may help reduce your risk of breast and bowel cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
5. It’s a great way to meet people
Running offers plenty of opportunities to engage with the community.
Joining a running club will give you access to training schedules developed by experts, technique correction and other tips to improve your running efforts.
You’ll also meet a new crew of people who share your interest and will help you stay motivated. This also comes with health benefits: it’s associated with a reduced risk of depression and greater wellbeing during stressful periods.
Regular park runs – usually five kilometres – are a great way to run with friends and track your progress from week to week. Those looking for a challenge can sign up to long distance event. If a 42-kilometre marathon is too daunting, consider training for a 10-kilometre run or a half marathon. A race day can act as an effective goal that will give you the motivation you need to drag yourself out of bed on mornings you’d rather sleep in.
Ramirez is a member of a running club that meets twice a week. On Sundays, the group does a long run at a measured pace to increase endurance. “You’re not supposed to push yourself that much,” he says. “You’re supposed to run and be able to have a conversation with other people. That makes the long runs more enjoyable.”
In August, Medibank launched Free + Active, their commitment to get Australians to get together and get moving. Medibank’s goal is for 1.5 million Aussies to feel happier, healthier and more connected through taking part in Free + Active in the next five years.
