If you have any plans for the distant future you may want to consider your options. A recent article purports the benefits of Running...err...exercise on lasting health and longevity. Stanford researchers used runners to study the effects of cardiovascular exercise on the aging adult. In a 19 year study, they followed healthy runners and healthy non-exercisers. Their findings showed evidence that even though both sets were healthy the runners were less disabled further into their life and lived a longer life as well.
Not only did they show longer healthier lives, but they noted another nail in the coffin for a long held theory among non-runners; running hurts your knees and expedites disability. In there study "the slew of predicted orthopedic injuries never materialized." Not only did injuries not rise with the runners, but "the health gap between runners and non-runners only increased with time," meaning, the longer a person runs/exercises in their life the more benefit there is in the long term.
This idea somewhat bleeds into the way I interact with people. When I am around people who talk about there exercise I am almost always interested. I work with one such person who has lost just under 200 pounds in 10 months and will be doing his first 5k this weekend. At least 2 or 3 times a week he comes to my desk to discuss what he is currently doing, how he is progressing, and how excited he is to be losing weight the hard way. Recently, with the inception of his running training regimen I have been able to impart my meager knowledge of the sport. When I look back at where he once was I am really proud of how far he has come, and I know he has added years to his life because of the choices he has made.
Ending thoughts: Get started; Keep it up; Improve your life.
A GREAT April: a Month in Review
8 hours ago
