Running
The ancient Greeks were among the first humans to establish running competitions and the sport formed a key part of the ancient Greek Olympics. Throughout history, the goal of competitive races has remained the same: to cover the set distance in the shortest possible time. The distances of competitive races range from short sprints of less than 100 meters, to marathons (26 miles 385 yards or 42.2km). The origin of marathons comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek soldier sent from the small town of Marathon to Athens to convey the message that the Persians had been defeated in battle. The diligent messenger ran the entire distance without stopping and subsequently died from exhaustion. The popularity of the sport has skyrocketed in recent years with the higher profile attained by distance events together with the acknowledged beneficits for health and fitness and weight control. Apart from a good pair of supportive shoes, there is relatively little equipment necessary. It can therefore be considered a relatively inexpensive sport, making it attractive for many people. Another reason for its popularity is its inherant flexibility. All you need to pack is your shoes, and you can “take” your sport with you anywhere in the world virtually. Why do people run? It’s a good question. It may begin as as an experiment into losing a few inches but as any runner will tell you, in no uncertain terms, it soon becomes a drug. For many, the attraction is the freedom, the outdoors, the elements and the terrain but combined with that feeling of achievement that only distance running can give and you have an object of passion. As a stress reliever it has few equals. Starting Out If you are considering starting there are a few key things to consider. It places a heavy demand on your cardiovascular and skeletal system. You should seriously consider consulting your doctor to check out your health as prevention is better than cure every time. This is particularly important if you are over forty, have not done any exercise for a while or have any previous medical history. Having done a couple of marathons myself in the past as well as being a Physical Therapist I have no doubts as to the toll that regular participation on hard surfaces takes on the muscles, bones and joints of your lower limbs, in particular your knees. In certain cases it may be that there are other sporting activities that are more beneficial if you have any significant inflammatory joint problems or degeneration. There is no doubt that this is a sport accessible to many and capable of improving cardiovascular fitness, assisting in weight control and assisting in general lifestyle well being. If you are fit to run and you want to get into the sport here are a few good tips to begin with: *Before you start get yourself checked out by a doctor. *Start slowly and do short distances concentrating on improving your style and breathing. *Join a club or run with an experienced runner initially to help you. *Initially I recommend you run 3 or 4 times a week utilising a correct warm up and cool down. *Eat a healthy balanced diet and ensure you drink sufficient water before, during and after training. Good luck and enjoy!
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