The weather is prime, your shoes are comfortable, and you've just had the perfect breakfast. Time for a run! Running is fantastic cardiovascular exercise and can boost your immune system. It's also an anti-stressor and a mood lifter that can help you sleep better at night. Here are 10 facts about running and injury prevention.
RUNNING FACTS
- Running makes your heart more efficient. Running conditions your heart to pump more strongly and efficiently, making better use of the oxygen in your blood with each heartbeat.
- Marathon running is at an all-time high. Throughout the years, marathon racing has grown steadily. In 2022, race participation increased by 16% compared to 2021.
- Air resistance burns more energy. Running outdoors at the same pace as on the treadmill burns more energy, purely due to air resistance!
- The birth of the Olympic marathon came from a myth. The modern Olympic marathon is inspired by the myth of the professional messenger Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message of victory: Greeks over Persians. Alas, on delivery, he dropped dead. Robert Browning retold this mythic tale in a poem inspiring today's competitive race.
- Top marathon winners' are Ethiopian. According to Runner's World, nine of the top 20 of today's fastest marathon runners are Ethiopian. However, Kenya is not far behind, with eight of the top 20 men and women racers being Kenyan. The fastest performance to date happened in Chicago in 2023 by the late Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum.
- The runner's high is not a myth! Runner's high describes the feeling of euphoria or release of anxiety you can experience while running.
Tips for Injury Prevention
- There are several common running injuries. The most common injuries that runners experience are runner's knee, stress fractures, shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, muscle pull, ankle sprains, and plantar fasciitis.
- Practice these three injury prevention strategies. The best prevention strategies for running injuries always include "a strong body, good form, and the right shoe."
- Your foot arch affects your running stride. High arches and flat arches can determine how your body absorbs the shock of impact from running. Consult with a shoe specialist or podiatrist to determine if you have the right shoes for your foot arch.
- Include physical therapy treatment. Physical therapy treatment for running injuries includes massage, strengthening muscles, and giving yourself rest time—don't skip the rest time!
Whether you are good, bad, or middling at running, the benefits still apply. And even if marathons aren't quite your thing, 5Ks are for everyone!
