If you run, why?

[tamade]

I started running to improve fitness, health and longevity. But I just realized that now I run for the views. Literally knew it would be a beautiful evening and could not wait to get out amongst it. 11.5km this route.
What about you?

I run for all-round fitness, but after a few years realised it is also great for my mental health, it clears my head and my thoughts can range wherever.

It makes me feel free.

Being outside in nature, the way I feel after a run, time to listen to music and just ‘be’, the great atmosphere of races, social element of my run club, and how running fitness translates into functional life fitness.

There’s nothing better to me on a lovely day than lacing up my shoes and running through the beautiful countryside around me, seeing the birds and animals, listening to my music, then coming home and feeling fantastic.

My anxiety. Helps me regulate.

It's great for my ADHD, calms me down. I can also take the dog with me and kill two birds with one stone; it's great for my fitness and that helps my asthma (which is now almost non-existent), it's gorgeous out in the countryside on a nice day, and I've now got legs to die for!

All this at nearly 66, can't be bad (unless it's hailing/freezing/dark/raining hard, when I still go even though I really don't want to and the dog hides under her blanket on the couch).

I started running in my late 40s. Am late 50s now.
Started because I was concerned about getting older and not having done any exercise for years. Knew it was going to catch up with me. Hated the idea of any sort of exercise.

Now I run because no matter how unwilling I am setting off and no matter whether It’s a good run or an absolutely awful one I always without fail come home feeling calmer, happier and more settled.

The music feels great when running. For keeping weight off too. Feels good after.

For physical and mental health. The feeling of freedom I get running through the countryside. The social element, camaraderie and banter of run club. The excitement of race day and the sense of achievement when you’ve done something hard. The bonding time with dds and how I’ve been able to pace dd1 recently and help her achieve her goals.

its also great to be able to eat pretty much whatever I like and not worry about gaining weight. Oh, yes, and just generally feeling very fit and capable in other aspects of life because of the running. Lots of reasons really

I run with a friend, we chat and run so it's a social thing for me as well as exercise.

So I can eat more & sleep better, lol.
Because it's minimal equipment & short time for high intensity.
To get outdoors & see things.
It doesn't aggravate my other injuries.

I run for lots of reasons but I think the main one is 'because I can'. So many people can't due to illness, disability, injury and I feel lucky that I have that freedom. At a leisurely pace, I don't find it hard to just keep going for miles and you just see so much beauty in the world

It helps me regulate. It calms my anxiety. It helps me sleep. It stops me from feeling trapped by my life.

Nothing has given me the same sense of pride as running long distance. I see amazing places on my feet, I sleep well, I never regret a run, I’ve made friends for life. Even bad runs are good. You get the picture.

yeh, I am running obsessed.

For the way I feel afterwards
To go with my dog who loves it
To catch up with my friends who run
To explore a place I am on holiday in quickly
To work off the wine I drink

It’s immediate - decide to run, put on trainers and sports bra and off I go. No class schedule, travel to the gym (which I also love but differently).

It’s at my pace (see above re gym classes).

It quiets my mind and allows me to think clearly

Weight loss and maintenance. Health in general.

Because when the breathing, the music and the pace hit right, it feels like flying.

Thinking time
calm and quiet
to see the wildlife in our woods and lanes
because it feels good afterwards
because I am more vain than I am lazy 😁

I want to be in good health for as long as possible, it keeps my mental health good and helps me sleep. I like that it helps to keep me lean and toned because I would hate to be fat.

If I run outside, I always run in nice surroundings as being in nature makes me feel happy, calm and makes me think clearly and put things in perspective. I always feel great after a run.

I live in the suburbs of a big city so def not for the views generally
its great for my mental health but I also feel physically good for doing it

I get satisfaction from doing well at parkruns and races

I ran mostly alone for years but have recently joined a group and the social aspect is brilliant, even though I ran happily without it for years

I love running, but on the treadmill at the gym. I do parkrun, but I don’t enjoy running outside.

I run for fitness and bone health. Plus, it gives you great legs.

I run because I'm lazy. Running takes less time from the front door than going to the gym and faffing about.

I need it to not be an obese pig. Have had to take it up again as currently I'm an obese pig.

But it does clear the mind and as I bumble along I do think 'oh, how did I get here'

I love the treadmill too. I have balance and co-ordination issues so running on a treadmill it's one of the few activities that don't challenge them (no up and down pavements, no potholes, and compared to other sports no balls to catch or weird moves to do).
I do local races as with road closures I can run in the smooth middle.

Those of you that run, do you find it affects your pelvic floor? This is what puts me off about running due to having a prolapse, I don’t want it to get worse. Have had mixed advice from physio and gynaecologist so wanted to hear from people who actually run

I restarted running 2 years ago in my mid 50s as part of a big health kick for the 2nd half of my life. I took it up having lost enough weight (thanks Mounjaro) to not blow my knees up with every step, because committing to run a certain distance every week gives me a baseline level of fitness I never want to fall below, ever again. So it's a good benchmark.

But similar to others what I gain from it is waaaay above the baseline. It's an hour of me-time where I can think freely. It's time in nature. It's the great endorphin rush when I get back. It's not worrying about drinks and puddings at the weekend. It's being able to run for a train, school pickup or meeting without bursting into a sweat. And, like a PP, my asthma is so much more under control.

Plus, stalking Vinted for lovely Sweaty Betty running gear!

I have a prolapse. It's not severe, thankfully, and I haven't noticed running affecting it one way or the other. Ive taken the view that a stronger set of pelvic and abdominal muscles must be a better support so am all in with running and core workouts at the gym.

I run for the sense of peace it gives me. For physical and mental wellness. It makes me happy and I feel mentally quiet after a good run. I’ve found I enjoy outdoors exercise and, in order to run long distances, it’s nudged me in the direction of resistance training and weightlifting. I find that doing something I enjoy enables me to explore other options and I am invested to support it.

i run alone and in groups, so it’s both a quiet solitary exercise and also a community-based exercise.

No such thing as a bad run; they’ve all given me something different and I love how that has helped me approach life differently.