upcoming fun run on January 29 in GSC
Experts say that running provides not just health benefits but economical and physiological advantages too. As posted on GenSan Run Club website, according to Sean Fishpool, author of "Beginner's Guide to Long Distance Running," running can provide following benefits:
- You lose weights. You can lose 100 calories from a mile of running and can burn 250 - 500 calories from a 30 - minute run;
- You improve your health. Your immunity to illness is highly improved; you improve your blood cholesterol level and combat diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. Further, you decrease your risk of heart attack;
- You are recharged from stress. Running alone or with buddies improves your emotional state, thereby, reducing your chances of depression. It can be a good diversion from draining or routine works and can be a good avenue for support;
- You improve your confidence. When you are fit and healthy, your self - esteem is quite good and with that you affect your performance and relationship in work and society in general;
- You adopt a healthy lifestyle. When you run regularly, you develop a good sleeping habit, avoid vices like drinking or smoking, and eat healthy diet. All these make your running comfortable and health - friendly;
- You are in better shape. With running, your body works more efficiently with improved metabolism and cell regeneration. Further, you get stronger and beautiful calves, thighs, hips and buttocks to boost.
- You will know your body better. With pressure about beating the time or enduring long races, you get to know how your body responds to pressure and with that you help your body to be in better shape and make the run injury - free.
But over and beyond these, we believe that running can also help us do the following:
- Know our place better. When we do trail running, we cover new places that we never tried before (to date, we just covered almost 15km distance to / from Lemlunay - Tinoto) and it is only in running that we get to run through a remote community village, cross on creeks, see the livelihood of an area, and appreciate our place better.
- Be smarter. Activities that require oxygen like running can help both our brain and body. According to William Greenough, Ph.D, neuropsychologist at the University of Illinois, exercise can cause new blood vessels to form in the cerebellum. More oxygen and glucose or blood sugar are delivered to the cerebellum during the increased activity, thereby, increasing the organ's size.
- Promote advocacies. Running has become a passion for us and what better way to appreciate it more than to use our passion to help communities (e.g. gift - giving among B'laan indigenous kids of Pao - Pao Elementary School of Sinawal), Mother Earth and other agencies who need assistance may it be through education, medical / dental mission, gifts.
- Inspire others. As we age, our metabolism slows down and with that, we begin to acquire all the wrong budges and when we see overweight people lost weight through running among other exercises, we become inspired to go through the same journey.
- Test our limits. We started with as short as few meters to running more than 10km. And when asked, if we shall stick with our distance, we generally say, "NO." As a 34 - year old lady runner/mom/teacher/entrepreneur, I wish to conquer 42km in a full marathon race. And while others say I cannot definitely finish it, the harder I go with my training.
- Widen our circles of friends and contacts for business and personal reasons. In the course of our running through fun runs or marathons, we get to meet doctors, medical representatives, soldiers, office workers, teachers among others. And, knowing them gives us an extra perk on moments we need assistance.
- Have fun. Running has given us a different kind of fulfilment especially if we reach the finish line after a long distance of running. And, when we beat our old record or win a spot, the pride and enthusiasm are all overwhelming. This state of positive attitude is even reflected on how we handle stress and challenge from jobs and families.