Why I Love Running And Why I Think You Should Try It
I love running, it is a huge part of my life. I have been a runner for as long as I can remember. It all started when I was about 11 years old. Practicing for the cross country team in elementary school it became apparent that this was the one sport that I could beat the boys. I took quite a liking to this new found ability, so I kept up with it. I
learned quickly that running took time and commitment. I learned this first lesson after running a race without training for it. After the race, I promised my dad that I would never be unprepared for a race again. I have kept that promise.
In high school and university I fell even further in love with running. I competed on the cross country and track teams all the way through school. Some of my best memories of my school days are through running.
Running is still a huge part of my life and I hope that never has to change. I do not compete as intensely as I used to. But I still have a passion for the sport as well as many goals that I hope to accomplish. I cannot envision my life without running.
I think we all know that running can be good for our health but I thought I would give you some reasons why I find it so enjoyable:
Running gets you outdoors, to enjoy nature and your surroundings that you may not otherwise experience.
You can do it anywhere, even on vacation. All you need is your runners and 30mins.
You can do it anytime of the year, depending on how brave you are.
You can use a run as a short get away. Sometimes you need some time to be alone and think or zone out and forget daily stressors.
Running can also be social, getting out in a run group can be very motivating and fun as well.
There are so many ways to change it up and challenge yourself, it never has to be boring. Hills, intervals and tempos to name some examples.
Running is inexpensive. It does not require much gear or equipment.
It improves your mood, while you run endorphins are released and these are shown to enhance your mood aka runnerʼs high.
You will feel a great level of satisfaction and relaxation after finishing a successful run.
It is a full body workout and you may even shed a couple pounds.
Running may help to prevent some diseases such as stroke, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
And lastly it is great contrast to other forms of physical activity.
So if running can serve as a mood enhancer, sight-seeing vehicle, stress reliever, disease prevention, cardiovascular fitness and weight loss tool, why not give it a shot?
But; be reminded that the key to running is easing into so take it slow and easy off the start.
Challenge: Get out there and try a run/walk, even if it is just 5 or 10 minutes and see how you like it! My bet is you will find it easier than expected… you may even like it! Tweet me @DrBMoran about how it went!