AMAZING EXERCISE: RUNNING

"12 AMAZING EXERCISE BENEFITS THAT AREN'T ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS"
This piece from MyFitnessPal.com HELLO HEALTHY blog by Kristina LaRue is aimed generally at exercise but it can reaffirm, for runners and walkers, the many reasons they value being able to participate in and love their sport.  It would be a copyright infringement, I think, to print the list here. For this reason, and because she gives a nice explanation for each benefit, it's best to directly access the article (link below). 

My favorite is #7." Provides a Bonding Experience with Loved Ones" but with an added TWIST. Those of us who live far away from our loved ones can still share the experience of exercise/running from afar. We can ask each other regularly how our running or walking training is progressing, discuss specific workouts, and trade tips. It can be by a phone conversation, perhaps on FaceTime, and include texting and sending pictures during runs and events as well as postings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We can also trial the same workouts, train for the same race, or plan to meet up and run the same race in person, or equivalent races, apart. Ms. LaRue rightly urges us to ESCAPE technology for the real world, but we can USE it for this good purpose too.

One way that I would "share" the experience of television with my distant loved ones in years past, would be to watch the same shows on the nights they were broadcast and discuss them in the following days by phone. Sometimes the shows were ones that ordinarily I would not view, but this shared viewing experience gave me a look into what captivated their interest week to week and made them laugh or cry. It kept us up-to-date with each other emotionally, without needing to have heavy personal conversations. In more modern times, technology can improve our sharing of physical activity experiences. I love it when we do this within our family, especially when we use our EarnedRuns bibs as a tangible connection!

The LaRue article started by providing a very brief summary of the Physical Activity Guidelines (PAG) for Adults issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (those for adults are identified in part, below). The full PAG can be accessed on the website, including more specific recommendations for older adults, children and adolescents, pregnant women, adults who are frail or have disabilities or chronic medical conditions.

-  150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) per week of moderate aerobic activity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of the 2 levels of activity, performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.
-  2 or more sessions per week of muscle-strengthening  activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups.

Making an effort to share running/exercise experiences with others, in person or from a distance, can enable us and those we hold close to our hearts to meet the PAG for age, gender, and health status, AND strengthen bonds of friendship and love.

RUN HAPPY!

http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/12-amazing-exercise-benefits/