Running: The Health Benefits of Running

1 mins to read

How regular exercise - especially running- helps to improve health outcomes. Dr Simon Sostaric writes.

The benefits of running

Running rewards your body and mind.

Regular running, combining a variety of durations and intensities, acts on all physiological and psychological systems in an integrated way.

With consistency, fitness gains are imminent. Indeed, aerobic fitness is now globally recognised as one of the most significant predictors of all-cause morbidity and mortality.

Furthermore, running provides the greatest bang for buck when it comes to developing, increasing and maintaining aerobic fitness.

Compelling adaptations to running training

Changes in muscle to improve regulation of insulin and glucose
Enhanced bone remodelling and strength (bone mineral density)
Enhanced fat metabolism
Weight loss
Stronger muscles, heart and lungs
Healthy blood pressure
Elevated release of hormones that make you feel good
Reduced levels of fatigue

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Why choose running over other forms of exercise?

We are born to run – need I say more!
Convenience – anytime, anywhere. Running shoes, shorts & t-shirt, and off you go
Bang for buck – expend 1-3 times more energy than walking, swimming, cycling
Fitness gains - faster rate of change in aerobic fitness compared to other modes of exercise
Weight bearing – unlike swimming and cycling, running is weight bearing, important for bone and muscle health
Liberating – what better way to see the countryside, towns and cities

How to get the best out of your run

New to running? Read this first!
If you are affected by ill-health, see an exercise physiologist for a suitable starting point
A little, often, is better than a lot, less often. Eg. 20min 3-4 times per week vs 60min once per week
When you feel comfortable jogging 15-20min, start to incorporate short runs at a quicker pace. Steady but sustainable
Including 1 or 2 higher intensity interval sessions per week (see examples below) is the most effective way to improve your fitness and lower blood glucose

Sample session #1

Warm up - Jog easy 4min, run steady 3min, jog easy 1min
Hill run intervals – 20s hard, 40s walk/jog recovery; repeat x5. Increase x1 efforts each week to a maximum of x10
Warm down – jog easy 5min

** pace the intervals so your pace doesn’t drop away too much

Sample session #2

Warm up - Jog easy 4min, run steady 2min, 3x50m hard (30s recovery), jog easy 1min
Park intervals – 15s hard, 15s recovery; 30s hard, 30s recovery; 45s hard, 45s recovery. 3min walk/jog, then repeat
Warm down – jog easy 5min

Running is medicine, good luck!

Dr Simon Sostaric is the founder of Melbourne Sports & Allied Health Clinic and also consults rel="noopener noreferrer" in Sydney at the Inner West Allied Health & Specialist Centre