Run for your life!

AFTER our ancestors perfected the art of balancing on two legs and learned to walk upright, the next logical thing to do was fairy obvious. Either running after animals in a hunt or running away from predators, the prehistoric man had always ran for his life. However, as time went by, man developed other skills as well. He found ways to overcome the adversities around him and soon enough, man no longer needed to run.

Looking around, you'll notice the many conveniences that surround us. There is always a transportation to take us anywhere in the world. There are devices that can allow us to communicate to someone at distant places. And for a price, anything can be delivered at our doorsteps in five minutes or less. Unfortunately, because of these amenities that we have grown so much accustomed of, little have we noticed that our lives have become less and less active.

Though ours is an era when the level of comfort is at its highest ever, this era also rates the highest in cases of obesity, heart ailments, and lung disorders. Also notice that we spend most of our lives sitting down at work, at home, and during leisure. Because of this, fats accumulate easily in our body while our bones and muscles slowly lose their natural strength, firmness, and elasticity.

But why should people run when running is obviously exhausting, painful and time-consuming. Different people have different reasons why they run, but most will certainly agree on the constant beneficial effects of running.

Running increases cardiorespiratory endurance by improving blood capacity and the pumping action of the heart. Running regularly helps the heart muscles become thicker and stronger by increasing the thickness of the muscle fibers. The strengthened heart muscles are able to contract forcefully and efficiently, thus oxygen-rich blood is delivered faster to the rest of the body. During running, the arteries also expand and contract more than usual, thus keeping the arteries elastic and the blood pressure low.

Furthermore, a heart strengthened by running will beat slower but will discharge more blood with each beat. A heart with a slower rate will last longer by diminishing wear and tear. On the other hand, an inactive person's heart beats 36,000 more times each day than that of a runner. Just imagine that same heart in ten years' time.

Running also increases the ability of the lungs by strengthening the diaphragm, the muscles between the ribs and the front of the neck, and the abdominals. Running improves the lung's ability to get more oxygen from the air through the respiratory system by increasing the perfusion rate in the lungs.

Hips, thighs and leg muscles are also strengthened, developing greater endurance at the same time.

Regular running for several miles is also a great way to lose unwanted weight because large amounts of fat are consumed. As the body fat decreases, the lean body mass comprised by muscles, bones and organs proportionally increase. By running consistently, you can also maintain your low body weight.

While most agree that running helps them achieve more energy, many also attribute running to bringing good appetite, better sleep, and prolonged relaxation. Furthermore, running is a highly accessible activity. All you need is a good pair of running shoes, a safe route, and the determination to run for a healthier and better life.

To find out if running is the right exercise for you, please consult your doctor. *

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