Why do we run and what benefits does it have?
Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.
Sometimes, when the cold rain is running down the back of my neck and my legs feel like lead, I ask myself the same question. But, it’s something that we should all reflect on sometimes: why exactly do we run?
I think there are a few ways to answer this, but essentially for most of us I think it boils down to the idea that we run because it benefits us both physically and mentally. Here’s how.
- It gives us some well-needed headspace
Run for five minutes, and you’ll probably spend most of it thinking about all the things you should be doing instead of being out on a run. Run for a bit longer, and you’ll eventually hit that blissful point where you suddenly realise you haven’t thought about anything at all for a few minutes. You’ve just been running, listening to your body and the world around you. Running also releases lots of good chemicals into your body that help us to combat stress and depression – so it’s not just pure escapism.
- It makes us more aware of our bodies
How many races are sold on the basis of their toughness and brutality? It’s surprising how many are, but then pain and running have always had a closer relationship with each other than in many other sports. Perhaps it’s because the pain we endure when we’re running puts us in touch with our bodies again, shaking us out of the stuffiness of the sedentary working lives that many of us have, making us remember what our bodies are capable of when we really push them.
The urge to run then comes from our addiction to the benefits we all feel when we do it – it just feels good to run, at a very primal and natural level. Running keeps you fit, it keeps you happy, and ultimately, it’s something we’re born to do.
Until the next time,
Mohsin Salya
