The Off Season: Part 6: Running
Kate Eppinger
Fall in Love With Running
October is here. The fall foliage is peaking, the weather has cooled down and it’s the perfect time for running! This season is a runner’s favorite due to lower temps and the start of many races (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many marathons are usually in the fall). With less than 2 months until the slopes open, there is still time to get your body in tiptop shape for winter. Running is a total body workout that will leave you with a strong core, powerful legs, and stamina to start off your season with a bang. Lace up those running shoes and propel yourself forward!
Whether you are a novice, average or avid marathon runner, running is an efficient way to get and stay in shape, keep weight off and be healthy. Why is it that so many people choose running as their exercise of choice? Is it the physical + mental aspect of the sport, is it the severe challenge of pushing yourself to your limits, is it the time away from your daily issues, or is it the way in which it fits into your life and produces positive results? It could be all of these and more. Running can be anything you want it to be. I choose to run because it gets me in great physical and mental shape and allows me time to reflect. Other benefits include: easy on the wallet, minimal gear needed, endless running locations/opportunities, and quick results.
Physical benefits of Running:
What does running NOT do for your body? It doesn’t make you flabby and overweight, that’s for sure. Any form of running, any technique you use or pace you travel in is phenomenal for your body and its 50 trillion cells. Because running burns more calories than most other forms of cardiovascular exercise, many people choose it as their main form of physical fitness. Running increases muscle mass and bone density, improves your cardiovascular health, facilitates weight loss, significantly reduces high blood pressure, increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), creates a higher concentration of lymphocytes (white blood cells), improves your cardiovascular health and uses more of your lungs. Dr. Richard Weil on Medicinenet.com says that, “Cardio-respiratory fitness (aerobic fitness or “cardio”) is the ability of your heart to pump stronger and more efficiently and your muscles to use oxygen more efficiently.” Running is the epitome of cardio-respiratory/cardio-pulmonary fitness and these types of exercise reduce the chance of heart disease. All in all, running does a whole lot of good for your muscles and organs!
Mental Benefits of Running:
While running, you have time to think about things; your physical movements, breathing technique, relationships, the tasks you have to complete, new ideas, anything! Or you can let go of your mental jabber and try to focus on your body and how you are moving. It’s different for everyone, but if you are focusing more on your body and breath, perhaps you are paying less attention to your problems. Running has been proven to lower depression because it gives you something else to focus on. Getting out into fresh air will help your mental state no doubt. Also, a healthy body can promote a healthy mind. If you feel good about your body, your mind state could improve. Running can be a great time to get away from the hustle and bustle and brainstorm ideas for work and life. It could very well be one of your creative times where new ideas come to you. I suggest giving running a try to see how your mood can change positively.
Getting Motivated: How to Start Your Running Routine
Let’s face it. Running is hard, that’s why everyone doesn’t do it. For the beginner, there are steps to getting started. As Decimus Magnus Ausonius said a long time ago, “Begin; Beginning is half the job.” Find that motivation to get out there- there is every excuse in the book not to run, but if you just find the motivation to leave the house and run just a little, that is better than nothing! Easier said than done, I know. Start off small with a short run to see how your body feels. It can be once a week to start and as you increase the distance each time and push yourself just a little harder than your last run, your running will become easier. Run how it feels good for you - everyone has their own style/routine and there are many to adopt in the world of running: Chi running, whole-foot running, long distance running, sprinting, jogging, trail running, treadmill running and on and on. Running groups or running with a friend can be better than doing it alone. Discover what works for you and yields the best results. Find your inspiration.
As Forrest Gump said,” That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So, I ran to the end of the road, and when I got there, I thought maybe I’d run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d just run across Greenbow County. And I figured since I run this far, maybe I’d just run across the great state of Alabama. And that’s what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason, I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured since I’d gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going… My mama always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on. And I think that’s what my running was all about…”
Posted by Kate Eppinger on 10/08
