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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

What You Need to Know When Starting a Running Routine

Posted September 20th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Running & Training, Training Plans

jogger Why run?

Running carries with it the same benefits of all cardiovascular exercise: it helps reduce stress, strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces risk of certain diseases, increases confidence, brightens your mood, helps you sleep better, gives you more energy, and, in general, provides a better sense of well being. It is also a great way to burn calories.

How many calories do you burn running a mile?

Conventional wisdom says that, for every mile you run, you will burn 100 calories. But other factors play into the equation as well, including your running speed and your body weight. Generally speaking, a 135 pound person will burn about 100 calories per mile. A 200 pound person, running at the same speed, may burn 150. Obviously, the faster you run, the more calories you will burn.

Starting to run

Running can be stressful on your body, particularly on your leg muscles and knees. But you can minimize your risk of injury by following a few, simple tips.
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Why you should consider buddying-up on your next run

Posted April 29th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: Running & Training, Motivation, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Exercise

running with dogs For most people running is a solitary venture, but buddying-up, either with a four-legged friend or acquaintance, is actually beneficial.

For starters, having someone depending on you is motivational. It’s easy to make excuses for yourself, but it’s harder to cancel on a friend, especially when you’ve both cleared your schedules to make time for each other. As a matter of fact, recent studies have shown people who run with a group or partner are more likely to stick with it in the long run.

Besides the motivation, studies have also shown that running in pairs or groups provides greater health benefits. Either way you’re getting a physical workout, yet scientists now believe that the social aspect of running with a partner can help stimulate growth of new brain neurons and provide better stress relief than running in isolation. In other words, by partnering up you are able to reap greater physical and mental benefits from your running workouts!
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