Staying active has always been important to me. Throughout my life, I’ve played various sports, ranging from the childhood classics — soccer, tee-ball, basketball — to experiments with golf and horseback riding. However, most of these activities were passing fads, for me. Except, that is, for running.
I’ve always enjoyed a bit of casual running, but I became even more serious about it when I joined my high school’s cross country team in ninth grade. Now a freshman in college, I’ve continued to be an avid runner. At the beginning of the school year, I joined Boston University’s own Running Club, and even though attending practice is entirely optional, I’ve found myself going as often as possible. In short, running has become far from a temporary phase for me. I’ve spent quite a while wondering why this is the case, and I think I’ve got a few answers. I’ll share them now in hopes that you, too, may try running and find in it a new favorite pastime.
The fact that running is beneficial for your physical health is quite obvious, so I won’t dwell on it. Any sort of exercise is good for you in this way; this isn’t one of the reasons I find running uniquely enjoyable. Instead, I’ll start with a lesser-known benefit: companionship. Some people may be surprised to hear this; after all, running is one of the least team-like sports out there, right? Well, this assumption isn’t entirely wrong. Running involves a lot of individual work — no one else can finish your mile for you — but in my experience, this makes it even easier to bond with your fellow athletes. Without having to depend on each other so heavily, lots of pressure is taken off of your relationship with other runners; allowing you to grow closer naturally rather than out of necessity. Besides, running leaves plenty of space to not be stifled by these friendships. No one expects you to carry a full conversation during a hard workout, and going for a solo run is always an option.
In addition to this, there’s definitely something to be said for the camaraderie that emerges in a group of people struggling together. When you and your fellow runners all experience the same difficult run, travel along the same painfully hilly route, or push through the same exhausting core cooldown alongside each other, the bond you share silently strengthens. No one will understand exactly how you felt during those difficult moments more than the people who went through them along side you. In many ways, you don’t even have to speak to your teammates in order to feel a deep connection with them.
It likely won’t surprise anyone when I say that the relationship I have with my team is the main reason I enjoy running so thoroughly, especially in these tense, pandemic-filled times. With social connections becoming harder and harder to make, I truly value the time I get to spend with other runners. However, this is not the only benefit of running. Another reason the activity is so good for you is the impact that it has on your mental health. I find myself using running to cope with the high anxiety of daily student life, and often notice a decline in my mental state the longer I go without any exercise. But this particular benefit goes beyond my own experiences.
The ways that running can improve your mental health are well-documented. One article from Johns Hopkins Medicine explains, “Exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids in the bloodstream.” The article defines endocannabinoids as biochemicals that are similar to cannabis but are naturally produced by the body. When the levels of endocannabinoids increase, they “promote short-term psychoactive effects such as reduced anxiety and feelings of calm.” In other words, running causes your body to produce a substance that lowers stress. This is the main short-term mental benefit of running, but the positive effects can extend into the long-term as well. The same Johns Hopkins article further explains that regular exercise can nourish brain growth, and quotes a professor of neuroscience named David J. Linden who states that “Exercise has a dramatic anti-depressive effect… It blunts the brain’s response to physical and emotional stress.” The article even goes on to say that regular exercise can slow the natural decline that comes with aging by improving things like memory, focus, and mood.
A final obvious-yet-overlooked benefit of running is getting to know your surroundings. Since moving to Boston, an entirely new city I’ve only ever seen small parts of, I’ve felt a little lost. However, my frequent runs have drastically improved my ability to navigate my new environment. Often led by upperclassmen, who were likely once led by the upperclassmen before them, I have explored off-campus areas that I would’ve never found otherwise. I’ve seen neighborhoods, parks, and shopping areas that will come in handy during the rest of my time in the city. I’ve noticed that my sense of direction is one of the best among the non-local freshmen that I’ve spoken to. Though this particular benefit may pale in comparison to the previous two, knowing your way around is no small matter, and I think it definitely deserves to be considered a pro of running.
Though there are undoubtedly many more reasons why running is beneficial, these are the main ones I’ve found. I feel they’re especially worth noting because I don’t see enough people encouraging others to run simply for the sake of enjoyment or mental health improvement. Too often, people are told to (or worse, made to) run simply for the physical benefits. While these are undeniable and important in their own right, I think that focusing too heavily on them sucks all the true joy out of the activity.
Hopefully, this article has shown you some more convincing reasons to try running. And if I was able to persuade you to experiment a bit with the sport, then I wish you luck in all your running adventures!
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