10 reasons to run

I came across this article in last Sundays Herald Sun "Body & Soul" suppliment about running.  I'll admit, I was one of those walkers who thought that running was stupid; running would cause injury; running was too hard, but now I'm a fair convert.

And here's why...

1.  You Lose Weight
If you want to shed kilos pick up the pace.  In 30 minutes, a 60kg woman burns about 287 calories running at 10kph and about 96 calories walking at 5kph.
2.  You Live Longer
Running 1.5 to 2 hours per week can increase  Women's lifespan by 5.6 years and Men's by 6.2 years.
3.  You decrease your risk of cancer
Breaking a sweat on a regular basis will slash your chances of developing several types of cancer; Colon cancer by 40 to 70%; breast, prostate & lung cancers by 30 to 40%,
4.  You boost your immunity
Regular moderate exercise reduced the risk of the common cold and uppoer respiratory tract infections by 20%
5.  You strengthen muscles
After the age of 30 we lose 1% of muscle mass per year.  Running strengthens your legs, back & abs.
6.  You reduce your risk of diabetes
3 hours of vigorous exercise a week reduces Women's risk of type 2 diabetes by 46%
7.  Improve your sleep & boost your energy
150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week improves sleep quality by 65%, and you're also less likely to feel sleepy during the day.
8.  You lift your mood
Running elevates mood and can ease depression thanks to the release of feel-good endorphins.
9.  You strengthen your bones
Running can increase bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.  load-bearing exercise gives your bones the signal that they need to be strong to withstand the force you put upon them.
10.  You reduce your risk of blood pressure and heart disease
Running regularly improves your cardiovascular health by increasing the elasticity of your arteries,which in turn reduces your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.  Those who run for at least an hour per week have a 42% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who do not run.

And if it wasn't after 11pm I'd be off for a run right about now!