Some people get into running at a young age. They find they’re good at it, and they enjoy it. Maybe they love racing the other neighborhood kids and beating them every time.
Running is something you can continue to do your entire life. However, you can also pick it up at any time, provided you’re in at least decent shape.
Let’s look at the more prominent reasons you should either continue running as an adult or get into it in 2020.
1. There’s Not Much Injury Risk
Some parents encourage their kids to try running in school because it’s a sport where injuries don’t happen often. There’s not much chance that a kid must deal with a concussion or a brain stem injury if all they’re doing is running around a track. A kid who takes up running:
- Is likely to stay in school
- Won’t be a childhood obesity victim
As an adult, there’s only a minimal injury risk. If you get into an amateur sports league, you can easily hurt yourself, especially if it’s something like football.
When you run, the only ways you might injure yourself is if you overexert yourself by pushing too hard before you’re ready. You can pull a muscle, but that’s nowhere as severe as a concussion or CTE that can come from other sports.
2. You Can Compete if You Like
When you run as an adult, you can also get competitive, but only if you want to. You can always enter a marathon or half marathon. These are great because:
- They’re a way to dominate the competition
- You can run to promote cancer awareness or some other cause
Some runners are competitive, just as much as with other sports. However, it’s up to you whether you wish to go in that direction. If you would prefer to just run around your neighbourhood for exercise, that’s fine too.
3. If You Run, You’ll Live Longer
Many studies also indicate that if you run regularly, you’ll extend your life. No one knows how long they are going to live. It’s always possible that you might die in an accident at any moment.
However, if you live healthily, you have a better chance of having a long and happy life, and that’s what most people want. Running gets the blood flowing and your heart rate up. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you risk contracting heart disease, becoming overweight or obese, and all kinds of other things.
Running will probably extend your life, and that’s something you want, not just for yourself but also for those you love. You want to be there for many years for your spouse or partner, or your kids if you have children. In that sense, running is a selfless choice.
4. You Can Do It with People About Whom You Care
You can also make running a group activity. Maybe your partner or spouse also runs, and you can go out together sometimes. It’s a great way to start the morning or finish the day.
You can run along with the whole family if your kids also enjoy it. If they see you doing it, they may want to emulate you.
You can go running with your friends, or even your coworkers. It’s a social activity that brings people together and lets them all motivate each other.
5. It’s Free
One other big running plus is that it costs you nothing unless you have to pay a nominal entry fee when you enter a marathon or something along those lines. Generally, running is free, which means you don’t have to pay a gym membership or get expensive equipment like a Peloton or Mirror.
At a time when Covid-19 is still everywhere, avoiding the gym is a great idea. You can stay away from people while you exercise, and you don’t have to touch your savings.
It’s true that winter is not far away, and if you live in an area with heavy snow, you probably can’t run once it comes. You can always run at an indoor track somewhere like the YMCA. When spring arrives, you can take to the streets again.
Running is one of the biggest favours you can do for yourself. It makes you feel and look great. You also get an amazing endorphin rush that’s hard to duplicate.
If you’re doing it already, you have every reason to keep it up, and if you’re thinking about trying it, there’s no better time.
