As the vibrant green colours the city once again, it is time to go back outside and enjoy a nice run around the neighbourhood. Spring is a beautiful time for a healthy reminder on why you should go running if you’re getting back on your feet from the cold winter months. Here are some benefits to running that will help you kick-off the season!
1. Running is good for your heart.
Running trains your body to be calm. Doesn’t that sound weird? Every time you run, you lower the resting heart rate, so your heart doesn’t need to work as hard. Essentially, running calms you down.
2. Running enhances your mood and relieves stress.
When you run, your brain pumps out two powerful feel-good chemicals that naturally fight off stress and pain in the body — endorphins and endocannabinoids. Endorphins are your body’s natural mood enhancers and endocannabinoids… sounds like cannabis, right? Well, that’s for a reason. It gives you the runner’s high!
3. Running prevents various illnesses & diseases.
Sure, an apple a day keeps the doctors away, but I hardly enjoyed eating apples growing up. If you’re like me, you can still stick to candies while preventing diseases by running. According to the American Cancer Society, running decreases your chance of colon & breast cancer by 30 percent and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by half.
4. Running improves memory.
According to the studies from Mayo Clinic, cardiovascular exercises improve memory, facilitate cognition, and guard the brain against Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Running burns a lot of calories.
Running burns 750 to 800 calories per hour (based on a 160-pound individual) and that’s not too bad considering it’s on plain terrain. Bring yourself outside with the hills and turns in the neighbourhood, it’s sure to burn even more.
6. Eliminates toxins.
Running eliminates a lot of toxins in your body. It also facilitates a healthier blood flow and nourishes the skin from acne and blemishes. A lot of runners and cyclists attest to having healthier-looking skin as a side effect of doing more regular workouts. Also, running is a great way to work out your lower body and to break down the toxins accumulated down below.
7. Running is meditative.
Many runners find that the time alone allows them to think and problem solve and helps them come up with more creative solutions at work! Did you know that running can also boost your gray matter, improve focus and fight off depression and anxiety? Running is a meditative workout.
8. Running is social.
The running community is a strong one. It’s hard to think of a better place to find wellness-focused people than a running group. Whether you go for a run with a friend or join a community marathon, you’ll be surprised with all the positive vibes you get. And the people you meet are awesome.
Check out this app if you need help getting back on your feet or coming up with a running program! C25K is a 5K-training app that stands for “Couch to 5K”. Quite the handle, isn’t it? It is designed for any beginner or expert runner in easing into a 5K run in a seamless 8-week course. It’s easy to follow, fun to check off their list of accomplishments, and an overall great training app with a built-in music player. It’s the #1 running app on the app store!
Running is a great exercise with a myriad of physical and mental health benefits. Running can also help you kick-off this season with more energy, power, and confidence. Put your running shoes on and go for a nice run around the neighbourhood this week!
