Why do we run, is it good for you?
- Thread starter jsmoke
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Soldato
It certainly screws my knees up when I run, so I stick with walking 6-10 miles a day at work instead.Its not terrible for your knees urban myth. The body compensates for whatever injury you have and backs and knees take the brunt of that.
What is terrible and bad for you is sitting in your car doing nothing
Strange thread. I run because I enjoy it. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t run and I would do something else with my spare time. Paint. Write poetry. Trainspotting. Whatever. If you think you’ll enjoy a step machine and a lung exerciser, knock yourself out. Good for you.
Why do I enjoy running? I like running because it’s a constant challenge to better yourself. You discover your physical limits and then try to raise those limits. But really this is the same for all sports.
However, running has a seriously low barrier for entry. Practically all you need is a pair of trainers and you are good to go, wherever you are. You don’t need expensive equipment, there’s no membership fee and you don’t need to rely on other people to participate. You just put on some shoes, step out the door and start running. You can do it as often or as little as you like, as fast or slow as you want and wherever you want.
It does make me feel healthier, both physically and mentally, and as a bonus I can eat whatever I want and as much as I want. Is it going to destroy my body? Who knows. I’ve been running almost every day for a few years now and it doesn’t feel like it is wearing me out. The opposite if anything. I certainly used to get injured more often and more severely playing football for example. There has been lots of research into running and if it is linked to joint issues. The current scientific view I’ve found is that it’s inconclusive, but there’s evidence that running can actually protect against knee arthritis.
Me, I just enjoy running and it’s so easy do whenever I have some spare time.
Why do I enjoy running? I like running because it’s a constant challenge to better yourself. You discover your physical limits and then try to raise those limits. But really this is the same for all sports.
However, running has a seriously low barrier for entry. Practically all you need is a pair of trainers and you are good to go, wherever you are. You don’t need expensive equipment, there’s no membership fee and you don’t need to rely on other people to participate. You just put on some shoes, step out the door and start running. You can do it as often or as little as you like, as fast or slow as you want and wherever you want.
It does make me feel healthier, both physically and mentally, and as a bonus I can eat whatever I want and as much as I want. Is it going to destroy my body? Who knows. I’ve been running almost every day for a few years now and it doesn’t feel like it is wearing me out. The opposite if anything. I certainly used to get injured more often and more severely playing football for example. There has been lots of research into running and if it is linked to joint issues. The current scientific view I’ve found is that it’s inconclusive, but there’s evidence that running can actually protect against knee arthritis.
Me, I just enjoy running and it’s so easy do whenever I have some spare time.
Sorry to say, if your legs and insides are burning after running a couple of miles, you might be unfit and/or doing it wrong. Most running should be conversation pace.
I run because it’s easy, free, good to escape, good for relaxation, good to listen to a book or podcast, has an active and supportive community, is good for setting and achieving goals, takes me around the world if I want it to, gets me out and about in new places when on holiday...I mean the list is practically endless.
I used run a lot in my late twenties to late thirties, 20-30 miles a week, did a dozen half marathons, moved to triathlon doing a few half iron distance events but my swimming was never really good enough.
Basically quit the lot ~5 years ago, but also left the office at the same time, swapping organised exercise for an active, out door lifestyle, building and gardening. I couldn't run a half marathon next week but seem to be able to maintain a good level of fitness by just moving all day.
Basically quit the lot ~5 years ago, but also left the office at the same time, swapping organised exercise for an active, out door lifestyle, building and gardening. I couldn't run a half marathon next week but seem to be able to maintain a good level of fitness by just moving all day.
Running is popular because it has very low barriers to entry. You can do it without any specialist equipment, although if taking it seriously one might want to invest in appropriate footwear. Most forms of exercise aren't that simple, e.g. you need access to a pool to go swimming, for gym equipment you either need to buy some and have somewhere to put it or join a gym. For team sports you need other people. For cycling you need a bike. Etc etc.
So if you are a novice who wants to get a bit fitter going running is a bit of a no-brainer, you don't need any up front investment and can do it pretty much whenever you want.
There's other factors like it means you get to see different things (infinite route possibilities), it's also a form of exercise where you can measure yourself and work to improve fairly easily if you time yourself on the same routes.
So if you are a novice who wants to get a bit fitter going running is a bit of a no-brainer, you don't need any up front investment and can do it pretty much whenever you want.
There's other factors like it means you get to see different things (infinite route possibilities), it's also a form of exercise where you can measure yourself and work to improve fairly easily if you time yourself on the same routes.
Associate
Been running now for 4 years and I am 50 years old. Had all kinds of knee problems when I was a footballer. Since running (20 miles per week) my knees have been as good as gold. I feel much better and fitter than I have ever done before. I am pretty strict when it comes to it, every Monday and Friday without fail but people can do what they want. Much said before about the advantages of running.
No cost
Go where you like
Go for as long as you like
Go fast or go slow
Go when you like.
Running is a relatively low impact sport compared to football etc. A good run or jog on a stable surface should not pose to many problems for any fitness level.
No cost
Go where you like
Go for as long as you like
Go fast or go slow
Go when you like.
Running is a relatively low impact sport compared to football etc. A good run or jog on a stable surface should not pose to many problems for any fitness level.
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Soldato
Just to add to this - running is very different to say, step machines.
I do running purely for my heart.
I always maintain a higher heart rate throughout a run, compared to cycling/vario at the gym.
I do running purely for my heart.
I always maintain a higher heart rate throughout a run, compared to cycling/vario at the gym.
Soldato
I dont run, but thought I would input my experiences here, several years ago I was just over 18st at 5'9". I was driving to work, then sitting at a desk all day and then driving home, so my exercise was basically walking to the toilet or the kitchen or the printer. About 4 years ago I stopped driving to work and started getting the train which forced me to walk to and from the stations which whilst only about2 miles in total started making a difference. I was slowly knocking the weight off and by the time the first lockdown came I was at about 14st. I then spent 3 months in lockdown doing nothing and put on half a stone again. So then I started doing walks at lunch or after work, starting with a couple of miles around my local area. Since then I have increased those walks and now do a minimum of 4-5 miles a day (at lunch or after work) and on weekends I will do a 7-10 mile walk, so am averaging about 50 or so miles a week. I've experimented with adding jogging in but my knees hate it (years of excess weight), so have kept with walking but at about 4/4.5mph to ensure its actually exercise and not just a nice stroll. I am now at 11st13lb and feel much better in myself.
Associate
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As mentioned running on tarmac is terrible for your joints.
I have a friend who runs ultra marathons BUT he runs a lot of trails up in the north yorks moors. This type of running looks much more appealing to me (scenery, nature etc.) but I've never given it a go.
I have a friend who runs ultra marathons BUT he runs a lot of trails up in the north yorks moors. This type of running looks much more appealing to me (scenery, nature etc.) but I've never given it a go.
Soldato
Soldato
I've just started running, I've pretty much always hated it. I used to mtb a lot and got really quite fit doing that (75miles a week for three years), but since working from home I don't ride much anymore. As a result, over the past year I've got some serious love handles that need addressing, so I'm dieting and running. I've got a Fenix 5 watch which has some training programmes on, so I'm giving those a go. At 33 years young, I certainly can't run like I did when I was 17.
You're not cycling hard enough then. You can cycle at any intensity you want
Hmm I thought that was a generally acknowledged fact. Although my first google hit seems to dispute that https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/biking-vs-running#muscles-used
Still I would say I feel less destroyed after 4 hours cycling than 4 hours running, not that I've run for 4 hours for a long time
Well done.
I found walking and lost a lot of weight too. When the weight came down I started running and I've been doing it for 5-6 years now. I've done a couple of marathons and countless half marathons. What I will say is get the correct trainers for you. Not the nice looking ones you see but the correct ones for you and your running style. Proper running shops can help you with this.
Soldato
Thanks, to be honest I don't think I will ever escalate to actual running as it really doesn't appeal to me, for a bit more high intensity I have a decent enough exercise bike I use that can really get the blood pumping.
Soldato
Well yes, as you have gears on a bike you have a multiplying affect, so the distance travelled running should be multiplied up for cycling to be equivalent. That is not intensity though. If you wore a heart rate monitor and your heart rate was sitting at 145bpm avg. running and then you cycled and had a heart rate of 145bpm avg. then the intensity is the same is it not?
What I think you are talking about is that some say that to equal the amount of energy to run a certain distance would mean you would have to ride 4 times the distance to get a rough energy usage equivalence. This is of course a very rough estimate as it doesnt account for the speed being cycled. As cycling at speed exponentially increases the amount of effort required due to wind resistance whereas running isnt really affected that much by wind resistance with respect to speed as the average runner doesnt run that fast.
Soldato
I think I know what he means about running being higher intensity. Definitely I agree you can just cycle harder to match that intensity, but generally when I cycle I am looking to go for 3 or 4 hours, so the intensity is lower to allow that. I generally simply couldn't run for more than an hour.... For me this is why cycling is better for losing weight. I can't really burn more than 800-1,000 cals running, I just can't run far enough. Cycling I can burn up and over 3,000 cals as I can can do it for so much longer
Associate
Problem with cycling is that you need much more time to do it. I would say for an equivalent 10 mile run you would have to cycle at least 30 miles. I run 10 miles in about 1hr 12 mins so a cycle would take about 2.5 - 3 hours depending on speed. Having that kind of time after work is not really achievable for me. Luckily for me I cycle to and from work anyway so it's a bonus. It's certainly not a problem at the weekends but during the week it takes to long.
Cycling is very good exercise especially if you are unable to run for various reasons. It's far less stress on your joints but it's the time needed that's the problem for me.
Cycling is very good exercise especially if you are unable to run for various reasons. It's far less stress on your joints but it's the time needed that's the problem for me.
Good point, yes a lot of time to think, can get very boring. Lots of time for negative thoughts.