Running
“Do you want to train for a half-marathon with me?” my friend asked me last year.
I laughed. “Do I look like I want to run 13.1 miles? The most I’ve ever run has been 3 miles.”
About 4 months later, we ran a half marathon. She had easily convinced me to join her in training. We’d found a training plan that didn’t look *that* bad, I had already been exercising so how hard could it be to add in running, and it gave us an excuse to spend more time together. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it, though. Who would want to run so much and so far?
Besides the physical benefits, running actually worked wonders for my mental health. At the time, I had been dealing with a lot of anxiety and stress. I was in my senior year of undergrad, involved in way too many things, and applying to grad school. However, something happened when I was running. It’s like it all disappeared. Running emptied my mind and allowed me to just focus on where I was going and how I was physically feeling. It was one of the only times I felt I was able to actually drown out my thoughts. The hamster wheel was paused. When I was running, nothing else mattered, and I was okay with that. Sounds a little crazy right? Well, I’m not the only one whose mental health improves with running…
The feel-good that comes with (or after) running is termed the “runner’s high.” Our brains release natural opiates as we run. Endorphins are released, especially when running at a comfortably difficult effort (think tempo run if you know terms). And get this, running actually causes the release of endocannabinoids, which gives that calm feeling (Runner’s World, 2018)! That’s what I was talking about earlier.
Other benefits of running include an increased reasoning ability. Right after running, cognitive functioning is going strong. It also can trigger some creative thinking. Ever find that you have a really good idea after exercise? It’s not a coincidence. Running, and other forms of exercise, have long-term mental benefits too (Runner’s World, 2018). Regular running decreases stress levels over time. Physical activity has been found to help decrease individuals’ scores on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Running may also be just as, or more effective, than antidepressants. Exercise also promotes the growth of new nerve cells and blood vessels. One study found that those who exercise regularly had 2% more volume in their hippocampus, which is involved with learning and memory. I’d say these are a lot of benefits (Runner’s World, 2018)!
Unfortunately, after the half marathon, I had to take a few months off to go to physical therapy and recover. This is UNCOMMON if you’re doing things the right way - stretch people! I’ve just recently become consistent again in the past month and am finding that love again. If you take care of your physical body in the process, running can become a way to improve mental health. What if we all became runners?
Reference: Runner’s World. (2018). 8 ways running stimulates your brain. Runner’s World. Retrieved from https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a774414/8-ways-running-stimulates-your-brain/.
Challenges/Points:
Running causes the release of endocannabinoids, giving you the feeling of calm.
Other benefits of running include increased reasoning, decreased stress, depression, and anxiety levels, and nerve cell and blood vessel growth.
Find a running program that works for your experience level and try it for a few weeks. How do you feel?
Questions:
Have you ever run consistently?
When you physically exercise, how do you feel?
What is holding you back from starting a running program?
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