6 incredible benefits of running that you may not have known

It probably isn’t too surprising to learn that, since the pandemic struck, more people have taken up running. After all, it’s a way to exercise without being too physically close to other people, at least for too long.

In fact, in 2020, shoe company ASICS, which owns fitness tracking app Runkeeper, reported “a 62% spike worldwide in people heading out for a weekly run”, as SELF explains.

Furthermore, running carries many benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing, with the top 6 as follows:

Running is a major calorie burner

Atlanta-based exercise physiologist Janet Hamilton has revealed to Shape that the average person weighing 150 pounds will burn roughly 12.2 calories every minute when running a 10-minute mile.

This is assuming that the person in question is running on flat terrain; if you choose to run somewhere hilly or windy, you could anticipate burning calories at an even more impressive rate.

Running can lower your blood pressure

Left untreated, high blood pressure would risk bringing on various health issues — including heart attacks, stroke and vision loss.

If you currently have high blood pressure, you might already take medication for it — but your doctor might be willing to let you run as well. A regular running habit has been shown to be capable of reducing resting systolic blood pressure.

Running could give you a six-pack

That’s because running taxes an array of core muscles — including, yes, the six-pack rectus abdominis. However, the deeper core muscles — including the obliques, erector spinae and transverse abdominis — also come into play. That’s no small benefit, as these particular muscles are crucial for stabilising your spine.

It’s easy to fit in time for a run

You could even do it to get to your workplace. As you don’t even strictly need a gym to take part in running, you can have a run when there’s just ten minutes to spare.

Nonetheless, having gym-standard equipment in your home could certainly help you to take your running prowess to the next level. Hence, you should consider perusing a wide selection of great-value treadmills and running machines available to buy online.

Running could help you to instil mindfulness

The term ‘mindfulness’ refers to the practice of mentally tuning into the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or feeling anxious about the future.

To help cultivate mindfulness during your runs, you could leave your headphones at home and, as you pass from one place to another, pay strong attention to what you hear, smell and taste along the way.

You can learn transferable skills

You don’t necessarily have to participate in marathons in order to be competitive with your running. You could be plenty competitive enough just with yourself; for example, by striving to run a mile a day for an entire month or get a new record in how quickly you can run from point A to point B.

The process of breaking down major goals like these into smaller challenges could effectively prepare you for other endeavours, like starting a business or a new job.