[Feature picture credits to Picture 4ever EU]

Googling ‘Benefits of Running’ will be sure to give you many search results, in fact, it has searched 3.7 billion web pages every 0.6 seconds around the world! If you are one of those who want to know the benefits of running, or know, but need some motivation to get moving, you have come to the right page! Running has both tangible and intangible benefits and no matter how much you feel like you are suffering during your run, both your mind and body is changing for the better.

Let's talk about the changes you can see with running. Running is a form of aerobic cardio exercise that engages the whole body, from the arms right down to the legs. Aerobic exercises can range from low to high intensity and are repetitive, being able to work your heart and muscles hard enough that you take in more oxygen as a fuel source for your exercises. They include running, swimming and cycling, amongst many others.

While running primarily engages muscles like the quadriceps and hamstrings, the body also relies on secondary muscles to support you when you are running, hence almost all muscle fibres are involved in helping you go further during your run! This makes running a very good form of full-body exercise.

Taken from Easy Science For Kids

If your goal for running is to lose weight, or at least maintain your current weight, you will be delighted to know that running can help you reach your goal. To lose weight, the amount of calories taken in must be lesser than the amount burned. As a general rule of thumb, having a net loss of 500 calories a day helps you lose 1 pound, or 0.45kg, in a week. However, this number is not fixed, as it depends on a number of factors. Gender, weight, your body’s own metabolism rate and the intensity at which you exercise are a few factors that make the amount of calories you burn different from that of your friend.

Despite this, it is universally recognised that running does help to burn calories while toning your muscles. Running also results in the afterburn effect, which means you continue to burn calories even after you stop running. Afterburn effect takes place as your body transitions back to its normal functioning after the run. However, running alone will not guarantee weight loss, as there are other factors that can make you take in more calories than you burn. One such factor is diet. Many runners treat themselves to big, hearty and unhealthy meals as a reward after working out, calling it their ‘cheat meal’. However, doing this too often may cause you to put on weight instead, negating all the other benefits of running!

Another benefit of running is that it helps you to strengthen your bones and joints, something you cannot see on the surface, but can definitely feel. Running can help prevent the onset of degenerative joint and bone diseases, such as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the weakening or breaking down of tissue in the bones, causing the bones to be weaker and more prone to injuries like fractures. In severe cases, even a simple sneeze can cause bone fractures! This bone disease has afflicted over 200 million people around the world, but the good news is that running can help prevent this disease. Running increases bone density, which is characterised as the amount of mineral content in the bones. The action of running causes the muscle to contract back and forth, forming new bone tissue and thus, the bones become stronger and denser. In fact, research from the University of Exeter and University of Leicester has shown that just 1 minute of running daily helps in increasing bone health.

Most of us reach our peak bone mass by 30, and by 40, we start to lose bone mass. However, with an active lifestyle that constitutes running, we can build up our bone density in our early years, reducing the risk of losing bone mass to the point of contracting diseases like osteoporosis in our older years. Many also think running causes damage to the knees. In fact, it is one of the most common misconceptions of running! Being a high-impact exercise, people think it wears out the cartilage in the knees over time as we run, with the joints rubbing against each other as we take another step. The impact with each landing step is great, with your knees cushioning the force of about five times your body weight, causing the misconception that running causes knee injury. However, research from Brigham Young University has shown that runners, in fact, have healthier knees than non-runners!

If done right, running can improve knee cartilage and strengthen it, keeping it injury-free. Debunking this age-old myth that running damages the knees, it is now discovered that running reduces inflammation in the knees and delays the onset of age-related diseases like arthritis. However, as with all good things, it must be done in moderation. Overrunning, or running while injured, will only worsen the injuries and can lead to the same diseases it could have been preventing

Mood Booster

Another benefit of running is that it is a great mood booster! We feel like we are suffering when running, perspiring profusely and clothes stuck uncomfortably to our bodies. However, when we look back at our hard work, we will feel happier. Doubt this? Well, research proves otherwise! In a 2006 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers found that even 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill can instantly lift the mood of someone suffering from major depression.

Running releases endorphins in the brain, which act as a natural ‘drug’ that makes a person more energetic and happier. It is commonly known as a ‘runner’s high’, which reduces anxiety and pain. Endorphins can be released during a workout, after, or both! Did you know, eating chocolate increases the levels of endorphins in our brains too? It can act as an antidepressant! Similarly, running too, except it is definitely much healthier than munching on chocolate.

Taken from Buzzle

Finding a sense of belonging Running can also lift our spirits because it is one way we engage with the community! Belonging to a community and having strong social connections have been shown to increase human satisfaction. There are many running communities where we live at. For example, in Singapore, we have these community running groups islandwide, from the Pasir Ris Park Runners to the Jurong Lake Running Club! In Malaysia, we have groups like the Petaling Hash House Harriers. However, it doesn’t mean you have to belong in a big running group to feel happy while running. It could be as simple as grabbing one or two running buddies along for your runs, or even having virtual running buddies!

One great place you can find virtual running friends and feel supported by fellow runners like yourself is at 42Race! We offer a plethora of races, both free and paid, with any themes for you to choose from! We have cute runs like the Ice Cream Virtual Run, and cool runs like Retro Virtual Run. As a member of 42Race community, you can find like-minded people who love running, and inspire each other as you go on a journey to better your lifestyle! After knowing the various benefits of running, we hope you are inspired to make a change in your life. Whether you want to lose weight, or improve your general health, running is a great option to do so!

And here at 42Race, we are more than happy to support you in your journey to get fitter. Get started now, because together, we inspire.