Running Beginners 11 Reasons to Start Running By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT LinkedIn Twitter Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 11, 2022 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by John Honerkamp Reviewed by John Honerkamp LinkedIn Twitter John Honerkamp is an RRCA and USATF-certified running coach, celebrity marathon pacer, and recognized leader in the New York City running community. Learn about our Review Board Print People start running for a variety of reasons. Some run because they want to lose weight, improve their health, compete in races, or try something new. Whatever your reason is for running, you'll experience many physical, mental, and emotional benefits of the sport. Here are some great reasons to start running. 10 Questions New Runners Ask 1 Running Improves Your Health Jordan Siemens The Image Bank / Getty Images One of the most significant benefits of running is that it is good for your health. Running is an excellent way to strengthen the heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body, which helps decrease your risk of heart attack and all-cause mortality. Exercise, combined with maintaining a healthy weight, is one of the best ways to naturally reduce your blood pressure if it's above normal. Running can also help keep it in check if you have high cholesterol. Running and other weight-bearing exercises also increase bone density, fending off osteoporosis. Including running into your fitness routine can also improve your immune system, so your body is more effective and efficient at fighting off germs. Top Reasons Why You Don't Exercise 2 Running Promotes Weight Management Many people start running to reach or maintain a healthy weight. As one of the most vigorous exercises, running is a highly efficient way to burn calories and lose weight. If you're already at a healthy weight, running can help you maintain it. Running increases your “after-burn,” or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This means that the number of calories you burn after a workout is increased when you include running in your fitness routine. However, some runners do notice an upswing in their weight and often wonder why they are not losing weight with running. Simply put, running does not give you a license to eat anything you want. The basic rule of weight loss is that you must burn (through life functions and exercise) more calories than you take in. Be sure to follow a proper running plan and a healthy, calorie-appropriate nutrition plan if you want to lose weight. What You Need to Know About Burning Fat 3 You Can Meet New People Some runners enjoy the quiet and solitude of running independently, but others see running time as a social opportunity. Finding a running buddy or running with a group is a great way to develop a sense of community. You can set goals and accomplish them together. In addition, having a regular running buddy or running group is a great way to stay motivated to run. Some runners also share advice and motivation with other runners in online forums or social media. You can meet other people who share your obsession with running, discover a space to celebrate your triumphs and find help to overcome any obstacles you may face in your training. Safer workouts, increased motivation, improved performance, reduced boredom, and a sense of community are just a few of the benefits that come with group running. Finding the Best Places to Run 4 You Can Run for a Cause You can also use running to contribute to society as a whole. Many races benefit charities, and some charities offer race training in exchange for fundraising. Running for something bigger than yourself is a great way to stay motivated to keep training and make your races even more meaningful and fulfilling. Most charities organizing a marathon will provide plenty of support for their runners. This usually means that before, during, and after an event, you can find training plans, as well as fundraising tips for runners, in the weeks leading up to the race. You will also get help with other arrangements to ensure you feel well prepared when standing at the start line. This type of support can help those new to running races develop a sound running plan while taking part in a good cause. 5 Running Is Good for Your Memory Aside from promoting neurogenesis (the process behind new nerve cell growth), there is evidence that regular aerobic exercise helps combat age-related mental decline, according to a study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Vital functions in mental ability, such as switching between tasks, problem-solving, and memory recall, are better in people who participate in aerobic activity, like running. What's more, running may help guard you against Alzheimer's disease and other diseases that affect cognitive ability. How to Make Running a Lifelong Sport 6 You Can Train for a Specific Goal Some people hate to exercise just for the sake of exercising, but with running, you can train for a goal, like running a particular race. And having a goal can help improve your motivation to run. From 5Ks to half marathons and beyond, you can find 5K training plans, 10K training plans, and half marathon training plans that set you up with a solid and consistent strategy that is different from just using gym equipment like elliptical machines. Training for a race gives you a specific goal to work toward, and once you are over your racing fears, you will have new goals to work towards. 7 Running Improves Your Energy Levels When you're feeling sluggish or tired, running—combined with a healthful diet—is a great way to boost your energy. You might also want to consider setting your alarm 30 to 45 minutes earlier than your usual wake-up time since runners who run in the morning report that they have improved energy levels during the day. Research has shown that just 30 minutes of running during the week for three weeks boosted sleep quality, mood, and concentration during the day. 8 Running Will Help You Feel Good About Yourself Regular runners report an increase in their confidence and self-esteem. The self-esteem benefits of running are increased if you set a specific goal, such as running a 5K or even a marathon, and accomplish it. These benefits will undoubtedly spill over to other areas, such as your professional and personal life. A regular running or jogging regimen can also lead to improved perceptions of fitness and body image, both of which were linked to enhanced self-esteem, according to research published in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. Nutrition and Hydration for Your Long Runs 9 Running Is Versatile and Inexpensive Running requires very little equipment, and you can do it almost anywhere. You don't even need a gym membership. All you need is a good pair of running shoes, and you can head out your door to go for a run. From city sidewalks to wooded trails, there are plenty of places for runners to explore—at no cost. If you travel a lot, it's easy to pack your running shoes and run while you're on the road. Running is also a great way to expand your horizons and break away from the daily grind. The sport allows people to explore areas of their community or new locations, experience new physical sensations, and run places they may not usually see. How To Run at Home Without a Treadmill 10 You'll Be Part of a Community Runners share a deep bond, and they support each other in running and many other aspects of their lives. They have shared good and bad experiences that allow them to connect on many levels. Many runners find that their running communities inspire and motivate them to continue running. Running also allows people to come together to help others, whether it's encouraging one another to achieve personal health and athletic goals, raising money for causes, or making a difference in their community. 11 Running Can Help With Stress Relief Running—as with many forms of exercise—is a great cure for stress, emotional strain, and even mild depression. Anyone who has experienced a runner's high knows that the endorphins (those feel-good hormones) produced by running can boost your mood. Using brain imaging, researchers found that a long-distance run increased opioid binding throughout several areas of the brain. This increased opioid binding triggers the release of endorphins, leaving participants feeling a subjective sense of euphoria. The result? Healthy adults who exercise regularly are generally happier than those who don't. A Word From Verywell Running has many benefits for mind and body. It can improve your overall health, reduce risk of death, help balance weight, protect bones and cognition while building self-esteem and community. Even a once weekly run can bring you the positive effects of running and you can always build the habit slowly. 25 Basic Etiquette Rules for Running 11 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lee D, Pate RR, Lavie CJ, Sui X, Church TS, Blair SN. Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(5):472-481. National Institutes of Health. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. Exercise for Your Bone Health. Simpson RJ, Kunz H, Agha N, Graff R. Exercise and the regulation of immune functions. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;135:355-380. doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.08.001 Swift DL, Johannsen NM, Lavie CJ, Earnest CP, Church TS. The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2014;56(4):441-447. Malchrowicz-Mośko E, Poczta J. Running as a form of therapy socio-psychological functions of mass running events for men and women. IJERPH. 2018;15(10):2262. Guiney H, Machado L. Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychon Bull Rev. 2013;20(1):73-86. doi:10.3758/s13423-012-0345-4 Blumenthal JA, Smith PJ, Mabe S, et al. Lifestyle and neurocognition in older adults with cognitive impairments: A randomized trial. Neurology. 2019;92(3):e212-e223. Swann C, Rosenbaum S, Lawrence A, Vella SA, McEwan D, Ekkekakis P. Updating goal-setting theory in physical activity promotion: a critical conceptual review. Health Psychology Review. 2021;15(1):34-50. Kalak N, Gerber M, Kirov R, et al. Daily morning running for 3 weeks improved sleep and psychological functioning in healthy adolescents compared with controls. J Adolesc Health. 2012;51(6):615-22. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.02.020 Zamani sani SH, Fathirezaie Z, Brand S, et al. Physical activity and self-esteem: testing direct and indirect relationships associated with psychological and physical mechanisms. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:2617-2625. doi:10.2147/NDT.S116811 Fuss J, Steinle J, Bindila L, et al. A runner’s high depends on cannabinoid receptors in mice. PNAS. 2015;112(42):13105-13108. Additional Reading Boecker H, et al. The Runners High: Opioidergic Mechanisms in the Human Brain. Cerebral Cortex. 2008;18(11):2523-2531. doi:10.1093/cercor/bhn013. Fernandes MFA, et al. Leptin Suppresses the Rewarding Effects of Running via STAT3 Signaling in Dopamine Neurons. Cell Metabolism. 2015;22(4):741-749. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.08.003 Guiney H, Machado L. Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 2012;20(1):73-86. doi:10.3758/s13423-012-0345-4. Kalak, N, et al. Daily Morning Running for 3 Weeks Improved Sleep and Psychological Functioning in Healthy Adolescents Compared With Controls. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2012;51(6):615-622. Mota MR, Pardono E, Lima LC, Arsa G, Bottaro M, Campbell CS, Simões HG. Effects of treadmill running and resistance exercises on lowering blood pressure during the daily work of hypertensive subjects. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Nov;23(8):2331-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181bac418 Nokia, MS, et al. Physical Exercise Increases Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Male Rats Provided it is Aerobic and Sustained. J Physiol. 2016; 594: 1855-1873. doi: 10.1113/JP271552. Otto MW, Smits JAJ. Exercise for Mood and Anxiety, Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being. Oxford University Press. 2011. Sani SHZ, et al. Physical activity and self-esteem: testing direct and indirect relationships associated with psychological and physical mechanisms. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2016;Volume 12:2617-2625. doi:10.2147/ndt.s116811. Venckunas, T, Kamandulis, S. Interval Running Training Improves Cognitive Flexibility and Aerobic Power of Young Healthy Adults. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2016; 30(8): 2114-212. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001322. By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit