Value Running for Your Fitness!
- IHCRC
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Running has had a longtime bad rap as an exercise in punishment. Run laps around the gym if you misbehave in physical education class. Run sprints in basketball practice if you miss free throws. Run a mile each time you cheat on your diet with junk food (ok, that last one is made up).
Despite the bad rap, you might be thinking about running this spring, as the weather is perfect. Perhaps you heard about Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa beginning practices for Running Strong run club. Or you may just want to try one of the most accessible and affordable forms of fitness.
It is time to have a healthier relationship with running. It is important, it is easy to get started and keep coming back, and yes, it is fun!
Let’s break it down using IHCRC's five values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, Stewardship (CARES):
1- COMMUNITY
This activity is all about being supportive and open to all. Running does not mean only the fittest and youngest sprinting for endless miles. It often means beginning with walking and slowly jogging when you can. With time and practice, walking-jogging becomes just jogging.
Try running with a group or on your own to a park. You will find fellow runners supporting each other and you. Maybe there’s a simple hand wave even or positive words.
Also, there are few sports as available as running: It includes all ages, all genders, and all abilities.
2- ACCOUNTABILITY
Running for physical fitness is very much about being responsible and transparent. Improving often only comes after a lot of hard work over a long period of time.
Children need at least 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity daily (CDC).
Adults need at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week (CDC).
To reduce health risks and manage weight, the recommended steps per day is 10,000.
In some sports, it might be easy to hide on the field, court, or bench while other athletes are more active. If teammates are scoring lots of points and defending the goal, you could just stand back and watch!
In running, each person is active, whether you exercise within a group or by yourself. It will be very easy for you and others to see if you have been keeping up with your training. This is a good thing, because you will benefit more by being accountable.
3- RESPECT
Respect in running means honoring the struggle, your own and others’.
You’ll see people gasping for breath, dripping sweat, or slowing to a walk and they deserve just as much support as someone sprinting to the finish.
We cheer for each other not just at the end, but all along the route. Because running is not just earning a medal at the finish line, it’s about respecting the journey that it took to get there.
4- EXCELLENCE
Being a runner will not just make you better at running.
According to the CDC, regular physical activity also means you can look forward to:
Improved sleep quality and less anxiety.
Reduced high blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke.
Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and several forms of cancer.
Reduced arthritis pain and associated disabilities.
Reduced risk of osteoporosis and falls.
Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
It is important to try our best and always improve ourselves in all parts of our lives. Running can be a pathway to personal overall excellence.
5- STEWARDSHIP
Running is not just a path to personal health, it’s a way of showing care for our community, our families, and future generations. When we lace up our shoes and head out for a run, we’re modeling healthy habits. We’re showing that it’s possible to live with intention, to prioritize movement, and to care for the body we’ve been given. This is stewardship in motion.
ARE YOU READY TO RUN?
While IHCRC’s Running Strong season is already underway, spring is the perfect time to begin your personal running journey. You can check with your IHCRC provider for an exercise referral to the many fitness classes offered.
And then, make plans to join Running Strong in the fall!