Running is an excellent way to improve your mental health and boost your overall well being. Research has shown that running can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as increase confidence and body image. Running also has the potential to lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation, while providing a sense of achievement and satisfaction. To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s take a look at the mental health benefits of running and how to encourage others to get involved.
Running can be a great way to improve your mental health. Studies have shown that regular exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication, without the side effects. Exercise also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in the brain that energise spirits and make you feel good. In addition, running can be a great distraction, allowing you to break away from the cycle of negative thoughts that can feed depression.
Running can also be very beneficial in the treatment of anxiety, providing natural and effective relief from tension and stress. Again, endorphins are released, helping to relax the muscles and providing a sense of peace and wellbeing. In addition, focusing on your body and how it feels while running can help to interrupt the flow of constant worries.
Unfortunately, for some people, physical activity can have a negative impact on their mental health. If you have an eating disorder or tend to overtrain, exercising can be detrimental to your mental health. However, if you pay attention to your body and practice moderation, running can still be beneficial.
If you’d like to encourage others to take up running, here are a few tips:
• Start slow. If you’re just getting started, don’t push yourself too hard, too fast. Stick to a pace that feels comfortable and gradually build up your speed and distance as you go.
• Join a running group. Running groups are a great way to meet like-minded people and enjoy the benefits of running in a supportive and encouraging environment.
• Set a goal. Having a goal to work towards can help to motivate you and give you a sense of purpose.
• Celebrate your successes. Be sure to take the time to congratulate yourself on your accomplishments and give yourself credit for the progress you’ve made.
• Listen to your body.
Taking the next steps in running
Running a marathon is an incredibly rewarding experience. It requires commitment and dedication to train for the long-distance race, and the feeling of accomplishment and pride that comes with completing the 26.2-mile race is unmatched.
Whether you are a seasoned jogger looking for a new challenge or a novice runner inspired by a friend’s success, there are plenty of personal reasons to start training for a marathon. Running a marathon is a big undertaking, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Here are 8 reasons why you should start training for a marathon today.
- Improved overall health: Running regularly strengthens your heart and helps keep your blood pressure and high cholesterol at healthy levels. It also improves your immune system and increases muscle strength.
- Better sleep: Marathon training can be exhausting, so your body will crave sleep. You’ll find yourself getting to bed earlier and sleeping more soundly.
- Better fitness: Marathon training challenges even the fittest athletes. If you’re not in good shape (or the best shape of your life) by the time you reach the starting line, your training may have been lacking.
- Toned legs: Weight loss is often a goal of marathoners-in-training, but logging all those miles will absolutely increase your lean muscle mass and tone your legs.
- Guilt-free massages: Marathoners-in-training tend to get tight muscles, and regular massages can help you feel comfortable and stay injury-free.
- Room for extra calories: During your very long runs, you’ll be burning thousands of calories, so it’s OK to be a little indulgent after.
- Stress reduction: Running in times of stress helps you better handle life’s challenges by increasing your mental resilience.
- Inspiration: Whether it’s the double-amputee wheelchair racer, the 73-year-old grandmother running her 35th marathon, or your own kids holding “We love you!” signs.
Training for the marathon involves adapting your body to the rigours and demands of 26.2 miles of running. To get it right, you need to increase your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, as well as your ability to conserve and manage energy during the race. All this needs to be done while respecting your recovery so you don’t burn out.
The most effective training plan is one you can stick to and enjoy. It is far better to get in four to five runs, week in, week out, than six runs one week and nothing the next. Consider a midweek run that also builds in volume, up to 75-90 minutes, to supplement your weekend long run. Try adding marathon-pace sections to the end of some long runs, and practise close to race pace with four sets of 20 minutes at goal marathon pace with five-minute recoveries.
Spread the load by including some cross-training and strength training, and hit the hills to develop strength. Train your gut by practising your fuelling strategy, and get enough sleep to ensure you’re able to recover and make the necessary adaptations.