Running is defined as the means of terrestrial movement on foot in an agitated manner. And for the early man, running was very beneficial for life, as hunting was done on foot and you had to run to save yourself from other hunters.
But that’s not the only way to define this aerobic exercise called running. Running is the feeling of lightness, the feeling of power bursting through the body and giving a feeling of euphoria, commonly known as the runner’s high.
In today’s world, running has become one of the most celebrated sports and brings with it a galore of running health benefits too. Although there is always a risk of a sports injury, the benefits of running outnumber the risks by a humongous margin.
Some of the major running health benefits are as follows:
- assists weight loss
- is a key component of fitness
- improves your cardiovascular health
- increases metabolism, body mass & endurance
- reduces your risk of heart disease & other diseases
- can slow down the effects of aging, sometimes even reverse it
Running also has a lot of psychological health benefits, such as feeling a sense of elation while running. Also, while out on a run you’ll be in the beauty of nature and scenery.
Running competition has been a part of all major sporting events all over the world. It is a contest to determine the fastest and at times, the strongest too. Running competitions have existed for most of man’s history and forms the core of athletics even today.
There are many types of running competition, depending on various factors. But they can be broadly classified on the basis of two parameters.
First parameter for running competition events is by type. Running races can be grouped into categories on the basis of these types:
- track race ~ running takes place on circular track & runners cover a specified distance
- road race ~ running takes place on an established course of road & distance is predetermined, which are usually longer in distance
- cross country race ~ running takes place on open ground & rough terrain where participants have to cover a distance that often includes hilly areas & woodlands
The other parameter for running competition is events by distance. Running a races can be categorized on the basis of the distance covered in these races:
- sprints ~ run a very short distance on a track or field, speed being the primary factor, e.g. 100 meter dash
- middle distance races ~ this run is longer than sprints but not more than 3 kilometers in distance, e.g. 1000 meter race
- long distance races ~ running that encompasses very long distances & are usually run as road races; stamina & endurance play a pivotal role in these competitions, e.g. marathon, half marathon
The health benefits of running are numerous and determining which type of running, competitive or not, that conforms best to you as a individual reduces your risk of injury, while enhancing your fitness level.
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