Your Running Journey: AI-Powered Plans by GPT-4o [a5b9]

I. Are there really so many benefits to running?

Running is a sport that is difficult to stick with. Many people hesitate and come and go on the path of running. But there are also many people who have a lifelong passion for running and persist from the start without stopping.

The physiological and psychological changes brought about by running will make the people and things you face vastly different from before. The changes brought about by long-term running are indispensable qualities for anyone who wants to become better. So by sticking to running, you will experience better changes.

A. Physical changes

Your body becomes more toned and shapely.

Long-distance running is the best aerobic fat-burning exercise. It will make your legs slimmer, your lines more graceful, your abdomen flatter, and your hips rounder and perkier. Aerobic running not only consumes excess fat in the body but also prevents high blood lipids. It also consumes glycogen in the body, lowering blood sugar levels and alleviating symptoms of high blood sugar, so you don't have to worry about the 'three highs' (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol).

Your joints become more flexible and stronger.

Within a reasonable range of running volume and by maintaining the correct running posture, running will give your joints more lasting endurance. Relevant data shows that the probability of knee pain in people who persist in running is 21.1%, 25.3% in those who used to run but have stopped, and 29.6% in those who never run.

On the contrary, those who sit for long periods without running are more likely to suffer from rheumatism, arthritis, and other ailments in old age. As long as the posture is correct and the running volume is not excessive, running is beneficial and harmless to the joints.

Your neck and shoulders become more relaxed.

Nowadays, many people work in front of computers every day, and a fixed sitting posture makes the muscles stiff, accompanied by various aches and pains. Only exercise can gradually tear apart the adhesions in ligaments and soft tissues and slowly mobilize stiff muscles. Running is a great choice, especially since the arm swing relaxes the shoulders, and the upright running posture is also beneficial to the body.

Your immune system becomes stronger.

Immunity is the body's protective shield against external viruses, and running is one way to strengthen it. Running can improve the body's overall fitness, adding points to your health. When running outdoors, you will become more adaptable to changing temperatures, humidity, and other environmental factors, making you less likely to get sick.

It helps increase bone density.

Running is an activity that exerts a certain impact on the bones, which helps increase bone density. Long-term exercise ensures that even in old age, you can have strong legs. Relevant surveys show that men who engage in jogging have lighter body weight and fewer chronic health problems. Additionally, the bone density of these men's leg bones is on average 5% higher than that of non-runners; compared to those who rarely participate in exercise, their bone density is 8% higher.

Your heart becomes stronger.

In long-term running training, the runner's heart gets fully exercised. The heart of a runner is larger and stronger than that of an ordinary person, thus having a more powerful blood delivery capacity.

Your brain becomes more intelligent.

Persisting in running increases blood flow to the brain, promoting brain development and making you smarter as you run. In fact, there is a close relationship between running and memory improvement. Running also helps activate the growth of gray matter in the brain, enhancing mental capacity.

B. Mental changes

It makes you more diligent.

Running is a process from laziness to diligence. This process will help you discard more and more bad habits, and procrastination will also be cured. Anyone who has persisted in running for more than a year will not be a lazy person.

It makes you stronger.

Running enhances your resilience, making you more adept at handling stress. Even in unfavorable environments, you will manage better. A person who runs is definitely a strong person.

It increases your personal charm.

Due to changes in physique and the secretion of various hormones, your charm value will greatly increase, and you will exude a god-like aura. Even walking down the street, the confidence gained from running will set you apart from others.

It raises your standards for yourself.

Persisting in running is an act of self-discipline. Coupled with a balanced diet and regular daily routines, you will achieve a more regular lifestyle. As your physique changes, you will become more aware of the correctness of your actions. You will become a person with increasingly strong principles.

Your mental state will improve.

People who run daily are full of energy and radiate vitality. Their abundant physical strength will bring changes to their lives. In a group, runners are often the ones with the best mental state.

You will have a stronger sense of happiness.

Health is the source of all happiness, and runners often understand the true meaning of this phrase. A healthy body will bring you happiness in life and work because you have more energy to enjoy life and work without worrying about your physical condition. This confidence will bring more positive impacts on both life and work.

Your social circle becomes richer.

Through running, your physique, confidence, and health will make you highly attractive. You will also passively join more positive circles, easily helping you find friends with similar interests. Through running, you can discover many like-minded friends.

Persisting in running and not running show no difference on a daily basis, and the difference is minimal on a monthly basis. Because the real difference between running and not running does not immediately appear but accumulates slowly in your body.

Five years, ten years, twenty years later, as time goes on, the gap will become more and more apparent. The difference in physical and mental states will gradually widen, and decades later, it may be a chasm between one kind of life and another.

As long as you start running, the road you have run will not deceive you. It will settle in your body, allowing you to enjoy it.

II. Are you suitable for running?

With so many benefits of running, is everyone suitable for running? Many people's first reaction is: Of course, running is simple, just put on shoes and run hard, anyone can run.

Is it really like that? Not necessarily. Some people may not be suitable for running. Although running is a sport suitable for all ages, it is not suitable for everyone. How can you know if you are suitable for running? The first thing to do is a physical assessment.

A. Self-health assessment

If you consider running as a sport, then the purpose of starting this sport must be for health and happiness. So we need to confirm in advance whether our health level is suitable for this sport. The initial intention of pursuing health is good, but it should be done within the limits of our own conditions. If pursuing a higher level of health instead lowers the current health level, it is putting the cart before the horse.

Generally speaking, if you are not in good health, such as having heart disease, organic diseases, long-term chronic diseases, or knee joint injuries or inflammation, it is best not to run rashly to avoid worsening the condition. If you are unsure about your health assessment, you can regularly go to the hospital for a health check-up and judge whether you are suitable for running based on the check-up results and the hospital's assessment.

B. Exercise treadmill test

The exercise treadmill test involves wearing an electrocardiogram monitor and maintaining exercise on a treadmill. By increasing the heart load and monitoring changes in the electrocardiogram, it checks for hidden heart diseases.

We often see news in the media about runners suddenly dying in marathons. According to statistics, most sudden death cases in marathons at home and abroad are related to 'hidden heart diseases.'

Therefore, if your goal is to run a marathon, you must go to the hospital for an exercise treadmill test beforehand, preferably once a year. It can detect some hidden heart diseases that an electrocardiogram cannot. Knowing more about your heart condition can give you and your family more peace of mind.

C. Weight assessment

Many people start running mainly to lose weight, and sticking to running is indeed an effective way to lose weight. However, if you have a large weight base, it is best not to run for the time being. Running with a large weight will put extraordinary pressure and load on our knee joints.

How much pressure is that? When running, the main parts that bear the body's pressure are our hip joints, knee joints, and ankle joints. Among them, the pressure on the knee joints is 4 to 10 times that of standing or walking. Many runners experience knee pain in the early stages of running, and being overweight is a significant reason.

So, what counts as a large weight? Generally speaking, a weight of ≥80kg for men and ≥70kg for women is considered a large weight. For these people, it is recommended to start with brisk walking or power walking to lose weight. If possible, you can also use swimming, cycling, elliptical machines, and other exercises to strengthen your muscles and knee joints before starting to run.