A Study on Running

Benefits of Running

I just want to start by saying, to those who know me, that yes; I am actually going to blog on running. I say this because most of you have heard me say that exercise is not in my vocabulary, I hate exercise, exercise will kill me, I will start exercising next week, on Monday, no time. Blah, blah, blah. I am full of excuses.

Even guilt doesn’t motivate me to exercise. I do not like sweating and I abhor exercise clothing which encourages me to show flabby, jiggly things for the entire world to see. I also am not going to pay for those expensive shoes. But please, go ahead and deduct a gym fee from my paycheck so I can say I actually do have a membership to a gym. Right? It’s not just me folks. I know darned good and well that some of you are just as guilty.

Now, on to that new study on running: This one piqued my interest. I do hate to exercise and running is at the top of my list.  Don’t mistake me on that at all. But there is this new study that followed people between the ages of 18 and 100 of varying health histories and found that people who ran for 5 minutes or more only 1-2 times a week reaped huge benefits, including:

• a 30% lower risk of death from all causes
• a 45% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke.

They also had a tendency to live 3 years longer than their counterparts that did not run. Those are some pretty good numbers people. This study even got me, if only momentarily, ready to jump on the band wagon. My family history of everything just bites. I constantly tell my dad that I feel as if I have a curse hanging over my head.

I do, however, love to walk. Notice I didn’t say run? Umm…no.  Not unless there is a crash cart or AED in near vicinity. Interestingly enough, NBC nightly news stated that if you are unable to run, walking is just as beneficial. You still reap the benefits even if you only do vigorous walking 2-3 times a week for 5-15 minutes.

Walking doesn’t take much time to do, it’s over before you know it. Walking makes me feel like I am actually accomplishing something versus working out where I feel like I’m punishing myself. I am not sure why that way of thinking works for me but it does and I am going with it.

I believe I will take advantage of that membership my work offers, that gets deducted every month and actually use it. I can absolutely take 15 minutes a day and hit that treadmill. I don’t plan on hitting a hard run, yet, so I am perfectly happy walking in my scrubs or a dress with sneakers. I will start on…ahem…Monday!  Anyone care to join me? I think possibly adding three years to my life span is appealing. Three more years to have fun and aggravate people! Yeah!