Are you having trouble staying motivated to continue running? Or looking for some reasons to get into running? Here is a list of many benefits of running that can give you a few reasons why you should lace up and get outside for a run. 

Health Benefits of Running 

Cardiovascular fitness is one of the biggest benefits of running. It is very helpful for preventing chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke and cardiac arrest.
It helps lower your resting heart rate so your heart does not need to work as hard for its normal function. It also increases your VO2 max which is the highest amount of oxygen you can consume during exercise, which increases the intensity you are able to train at. It is recommended for the minimum amount of exercise for the everyday population be 30 minutes a day at least 3 days a week for adults. But that's the minimum, get out and run daily. 

Musculoskeletal health is important especially as you are getting older. A sedentary lifestyle causes you to lose density in your bones and make your joints and muscles weaker. This is called Atrophy making you more at risk of injury, falling, fracture, etc.  By running you are delaying that process because you are continuing to use and train the muscles, bones  and joints that allow you to be strong, healthy and function. If you don’t use them, you lose them. To be able to see strength gains you need to push your body. A term when invented to explain this called progressive overload. To be able to get stronger, larger muscles and be able to work longer, you need to continually increase the difficulty and intensity of your training to see benefits down the line.

Losing weight is a big reason people get into running. It doesn’t take a crowded gym with confusing equipment to be able to take action and work on your health. Exercises, like running, burn calories and increase your metabolism. This helps your body  better break down food and use the nutrients for energy to build and repair your body. When you don’t exercise and your metabolism is slower, you are not as efficient in breaking down and using the food for energy. This does not mean that running is the best and only way to lose weight. Nutrition, strength training and sleep all play a role in weight loss as well but running and increasing your cardiac output (the amount of blood you can send to your muscles  in a specific measure of time)  is one component that can contribute to your goal of weight loss. 

A lot of people turn to running for the benefits of their mental health. Many find running as a way to clear their head, reduce stress and give them energy to start the day. When running your body releases what are called endorphins and serotonin which are chemicals made in your body that help improve your mood and reduce physical and mental responses to stress.  It also helps with sleep as it also releases chemicals in the body that causes you to relax and encourage deep sleep. On the other hand it also gives you energy so i would not recommend running right before bed. Finally, it can help boost your brain power as cardiovascular exercise creates new brain cells leading to increased performance. 

Running is a social and life sport. People can participate in it till their old age and are unable to walk. Depending on your location, there are many running groups that can be a way to meet new people for a casual run or feel motivated in a big workout as you’re running with other people. 

Running in groups promotes accountability and is a community fostered around supporting others, reaching goals and being happy. There are  also a lot of races offered, especially in Boston, that help you reach your goals and run in a crowd. 

It is easy to set and measure goals. Part of the reason people love running is because it is so easy to measure progress. You can be proud of yourself for getting out and running, doing a longest run, fastest run, farthest run, trail runs, hill workouts, etc. The chances for improvement are endless. When it comes to racing, Personal records, or PRs, are a big part of the culture as you’re always trying to be the fastest and best version of yourself. It's always great when you can measure yourself improving. 

Finally, a great workout can be done in a short period of time. If you don’t have time for a long run or regular run, you can still get benefits from working out for 10 minutes. Just increase the intensity of your running to increase your heart rate and feel the benefits. This can be done by training in intervals, on hills, or fartlek runs. These can be sprints on a track or up a hill. Throwing in pick ups or strides/sprints in a regular run or just doing a regular run at a faster speed. There are a lot of ways to change up your running and training for different goals. Speak to an Athletic trainer or Personal trainer about how you can tailor your training to you and your needs. 

If you’re not convinced after reading all of this, think about you in your old age. Do you want to be able to play baseball with your child or grandchild, and be able to walk and lift grocery bags when you’re 70 or 80 years old? Those normal activities will be hard one day and exercising and valuing your health now can help that be a reality later in your life. Talk to your Athletic Trainer or personal trainer about writing a training plan to start running in a healthy progression to prevent injury.

Moving your body any way possible is important for prolonged health. If you are new to running, or need a change, don't be afraid to switch it up every once in a while, with things like yoga, cycling, exercise classes or other sports that you might be interested in.