Five Reasons to Run

1. Running is both easy and affordable
Everyone knows how to run. Although your form may not be perfect yet, you do know how to lace up your shoes, place one foot in front of the other and settle into a comfortable pace. Also, there is no new equipment for you to buy; running is one of the most budget-friendly sports that you can take part in as a student. While high-tech gear can make runs more enjoyable for some, all that you really need is a decent pair of shoes and a supportive sports bra, and you’re set. Running unplugged can also be very rewarding; you are much more in tune with both your body and your surroundings.
 
If you have never run before—or are starting up again after a break—I would recommend starting slowly, perhaps with a run/walk program. Runner’s World has an awesome selection of training plans for runners at all stages and for all distances.
 
2. And yet, it is so difficult
Anyone who has ever tried to run can attest to the great effort that it involves. Yet one of the best things about running is that it requires you to push yourself—that infamous burn.  You certainly will not finish a run without feeling like you did not get a proper workout.
 
Plus, running blasts calories: Women’s Health cites a study done by the Medical College of Wisconsin and the VA Medical Center, where the treadmill (used at a “hard” exertion level) “torched an average of 705-865 calories in an hour” compared to the stair-stepper’s 637-746, the rower’s 606-739, and the stationary bike’s 496-604.

 
3. You will stress less and focus more
One of the things that I love most about running is its ability to clear my head. When I hit the road, I can think through anything that has been weighing me down—my to-do list, problems, or plans for the future—and I return refreshed and ready to focus. Such a feeling is a common feature in many runners’ anecdotes, and mental health experts have even begun to tell their patients to run to help treat clinical depression and other psychological disorders. The runner’s high is not as elusive as you may think! Running is also one of the best ways to get to know someone—and an instant way to bond. So if, in the next couple of weeks, you need a break while studying for exams, lace up your shoes and head out for a run.

4. Health benefits
Besides running’s obvious benefits for your heart and your waistline, Women’s Health points out some the lesser-known reasons for why running is good for you.
 
Contrary to popular belief, the magazine contends that running “doesn’t wreck your joints… [but rather,] running will [actually] build your joints up.” Indeed, “Running bolsters your cartilage by increasing oxygen flow and flushing out toxins, and by strengthening the ligaments around your joints. Hitting the trail [like running up Mount Royal] also gives your bones a boost, helping to prevent osteoporosis.” The biggest risk for osteoarthritis besides age, the magazine says, is body weight.
 
Running can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer too. In a study by the National Cancer Institute, women of a normal weight who regularly exercise at a high intensity have close to a 30 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to those who are sedentary.
 
Women’s Health also reports that “Two studies from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory have found that running reduce[s] the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.” So, running, it seems, can even help to preserve your sight!

5. You don’t have to
For all the reasons to run, most of us can come up with many more to stop. We are all too busy, do not have the energy after a long day of work, or do not want to wake up earlier in the morning. We might not feel motivated after an injury or the weather might not be too inspiring. And yet, many of us continue to run.
 
The best reason to run is precisely because you do not have to. As students, there so many things that we have to do that are not entirely our own choice—or that we are required to do, but do not truly enjoy. I look forward to my runs. It is my choice to push myself to run an extra couple of kilometers, my choice to spend months preparing for races, and my choice to set myself specific time goals.
 
I strongly believe that many runners decide to quit because they cannot get past feeling that they have to run—for a rigid program, for other’s expectations, or for their health. Yet it is only when you can get beyond these constraints–and just run–that you can truly enjoy this form of exercise.

Sources:
National Cancer Institute
Runner’s World
Women’s Health