Everyone knows that running is a great way to get into shape, but did you know that it can benefit almost every part of your body, as well as lift your mood?
While it may not be everybody’s favourite form of exercise, knowing what it can do for your life just may make you look at running in an entirely new light.
Believe it or not, running is actually a great way to increase your overall level of health. Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping to increase lung function and use.
For women, running can actually help to lower your risk of breast cancer. It can also help reduce the risk of having a stroke. Many doctors recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
By helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart, your chances of suffering a heart attack can be significantly reduced. Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting any fitness program if you have existing health issues.
Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight. You will find that it is a leading way to burn off extra calories and that it is the second-most effective exercise in terms of calories burned per minute, following only cross-country skiing.
Not all of the benefits of running are physical. Running can provide a noticeable boost to your confidence and self-esteem. By setting and achieving goals, you can help give yourself a greater sense of empowerment that will leave you feeling much happier.
Stress can actually cause a number of health and mood problems. It can also diminish appetite and sleep quality. When you run, you force your body to exert excess energy and hormones. Running also helps to reduce your chances of developing tension headaches.
When you are depressed, the last thing you likely want to do is to get up and go for a run. Yet you will find that after only a few minutes of running, your brain will start to secrete hormones that naturally improve your mood. In fact, there are few things in the world that can better or more rapidly treat depression than exercise such as running.
It may seem surprising to learn all of the different ways that running can improve your health, but the truth of the matter is that these are only a few of the many benefits that it can offer to your body.
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Lace up your shoes and start training for the Terry Fox Run. This annual event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 15 starting and finishing at the parking lot at Grand Forks Arena. Registration takes place at 9:30 a.m. with the run starting at 10 a.m. Pledge forms will soon be available and we also accept donations the day of the event.
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The annual Station-to-Station run is a very scenic route, which includes the old rail grade and trails. We will be including a three-, five- and 10-km course. Mark your calendar Thursday, Sept. 26 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Station Pub.
For information on our fall runs, please give us a call at 250-442-2202.
- Submitted by Lilly Bryant, Grand Forks Recreation Department