The sun is warming the pavement on Comm Ave, the sky is a pale blue, the Charles River is a sparkling reflection of the heavens, and one can almost be convinced that this campus never turns into an arctic wind tunnel within a matter of weeks. Listen up ladies: if there is ever a time to lace up the pair of running shoes you have lined up in your newly organized closet, it is now. You don’t need to own a lululemon headband to know that a workout is good for your body, and your body is not yet locked within the confines of Mugar Library or buried under a pile of blankets to avoid the Boston tundra. Here are just a few reasons to start running outside while there is still a 30% that it’s not already raining.
1) It’s easy!
Okay, you may not believe it, but without a machine setting some “fat burn” pace for you, running on your own outside can truly be a breeze. You get to set your own pace, and that can make all the difference.
2) You don’t need to worry about hauling yourself to the gym.
You can choose where you want to run– whether that may be on the beautiful esplanade, a route to your favorite crepe place in Harvard Square, or just down Comm Ave.
3) You can prepare yourself for 5ks in the fall and spring.
Boston is full of color runs, underwear runs, runs for cancer research, and basically any other run you can imagine. Begin running outside now, and you will be able to convince a couple of friends to sign up for a fun run with you later on.
4) It’s great for your body
Running can decrease your risk of osteoarthritis by invigorating your ligaments and joints, flush out the toxins in your body, and prevent osteoporosis by strengthening your bones. Furthermore, if you take up jogging, you will be taking up a personal fight against future heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, waning vision, and even the common cold. So exercise really does do more than just help you keep off that freshman fifteen!
5) You can reduce your stress.
Once you fall into a rhythm, running can give you time to work out problems in your head. I know that, even while listening to music on a run, I can still give thought to lectures, professors, and friends that I have encountered throughout the day. Running truly provides a thinking space that one does not experience every day while bombarded with class, meetings, homework, and emails all day long. Furthermore, exercise can heighten your happiness; lift a weight, and you will lift your mood!
Good luck, and I hope that this article helped motivate you. Don’t all start running down Comm Ave at once!