Why Choose Running?
Inspired by our Couch to 5K article? Look no further. Here’s all the pros and cons of why choosing running as your daily exercise could be right for you.
Advantages of running
- Free for all Apart from a pair of trainers and maybe a sports bra, if you don’t have them already.
- Running groups It suits every personality, whether you like to run alone or prefer other people around to cheer you on, running can be a very social affair and nowadays there are running groups in every county that have everything from beginner walk runs around a park to full on marathon trainers.
- Mental acuity It clears your head and boosts your mood, improves sleep and concentration
- Stronger bones Running is a weight-bearing activity and this sort of impact exercise shocks your bones into self-repair, building stronger bones over the course of training, a good thing as you get older, to combat osteoporosis
- Muscle and tendon strengthening It makes sense, the more you run, the fitter your body gets as you lose fat and build muscle.
- Cardiovascular Cardio = heart, vascular = veins so cardiovascular exercise is improving the health of your circulation, strengthening your heart muscles and making sure your blood is flowing to all extremities, delivering that all important oxygen and nutrients where they’re needed.
- Fat-burning All exercise uses energy and just 30 minutes of running will burn anything from 200-500 calories (units of energy) – roughly 100 calories per mile. To be more precise, multiply .75 x your body weight in pounds to get your personal calorie burn per mile.
- Little and often Just 5-10mins a day running at a moderate pace may help reduce risk of disease. This benefit plateaus at around 4.5 hours a week so don’t go crazy but the optimum is thought to be 30mins a day, 5 days a week.
- Quick and easy You don’t have to do a full stretch warm up, you can start slow with walking and jogging but always cool down with stretches.
- You don’t have to run every day!
Disadvantages of running
- The more you run, the more you need to run. Once your body gets used to your route and pace, you need to change it up a bit to get any further benefits. You’ll have to go faster to burn same amount of energy you did before.
- Not suitable for all Heavily overweight people or those with damaged knees need to be careful with weight-bearing exercise although for everyone else running is actually good for your joints. Consult a doctor before doing impact activities.
- High impact It has its benefits for bones but it is easy to overtrain which can result in injuries like stress fractures and shin splints.
- Cross training Running is great for beginners to start a fitness journey but for full fitness, running works best alongside other activities for a complete body improvement.
- Runners belly It’s not a myth, running can jiggle your insides around enough to cause an accident, but you’d have to be going some to make it happen, so we’re not worried about that here.
- Walk before you run You’ll hurt yourself if you go hell for leather the first week. Start gradually to avoid injury and build technique. Have a gait analysis (free though Whirlwind Sports) to check how your feet naturally splay and make sure your trainers give the correct support to help you on your way.
Useful tips for runners
- Gait analysis, a quick half hour or so will tell you all you need to know about your lower body running style and why you’ve got those aches and pains.
- Footwear for fit feet. Supportive trainers will transform your run but don’t forget suitable socks! There’s nothing worse than slipping and bunching.
- Stay safe Wear bright, reflective clothing, use well-lit running paths and let someone know where you are.
- Local Groups Moral support and a focus, look up your local group and tag along, most do free taster sessions and some are even set up for buggies if you’re a new mum.
- Technology If you have a smart phone, find a running app that works for you, even invest in a smart watch once you get serious. Beating your best and monitoring your heart rate can be quite addictive!
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