Running Wild

After what I thought was a pretty respectable workout yesterday, I come home and check my phone only to find a text message from my older sister that said, "Just finished mile 26."  Okay, Angela.  "Thanks. Way to put my three mile run to shame," I responded.  (I still secretly believe she's been trying to steal the spotlight back after I came along 20 years ago.)  Anyway, the whole 26 mile thing has to do with this little race that she's running this weekend-- The Chicago Marathon.  Now, I may consider myself athletic and while I do love to run, I'm pretty sure there is no way you'd catch me running a marathon.  Ever.

My sister has always been a distance runner.  Ever since I can remember she's always been running a few miles a day.  But I had no idea of the hard work and dedication that she put into this.  She ran her first half marathon (which was 13.1) miles in Rochester over the summer.  She also ran the Boilermaker which is an annual road race in Utica.  Training for that was pretty "normal" to her.  She'd start running around four or five miles a day (she's already in phenomenal shape) and work her way up finally to 13.  She also lifts three times a week.  On top of that, she has a full time job with Merrill Lynch and just got her Master's degree.  Don't ask me where she finds the time OR the energy to do what she does. 

For the Chicago Marathon, it was pretty much the same procedure, except now she had to push herself even further to reach that 26.2 mile mark.  So every night after work and on weekday afternoons, you could find her running around Albany.  So she kind of did her own thing when it came to training but I wanted to see what an actual training schedule looked like so I went to http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/uploadedFiles/Chicago_Marathon/Runner_Information/BACM_NIKE_TRAINING.pdf for an official work out schedule and I must say it is nothing short of intense.

On top of that, I also wanted to find out a little bit more about the Chicago Marathon because when she announced she was doing it last year, I'll admit I didn't really pay attention.  According to http://www.livestrong.com/, it is recognized as one of the best and largest marathons in the world.  It is limited to 45,000 runners and typically draws about 1.5 million spectators annually.  October 10, 2010 will be the 33rd anniversary as the marathon has been going on every year since Setpember 25, 1977.  The marathon starts at Grant Park and goes through 29 different neighborhoods of Chicago. 

So by the end of this post, you may think of my big sis as clinically insane.  (So do I, but for different reasons)  However, there are SO many benefits from running (both physical and psychological) that you would have to been insane NOT to go for a jog.  So on that note, I'll leave you with a list of just some of the benefits...

Health Benefits Of Running

• One of the most popular benefits of running is to reduce or manage weight. It burns more calories per minute, than any other form of cardiovascular exercise. Research proves the fact that running burns an average of 100 calories per each mile.
• Running has proved to be beneficial in slowing the aging process. People, who run regularly, do not face muscle or bone loss in comparison to their counterparts.
• Running helps to enhance the glow of the face. It promotes the human growth hormone which helps in staying young.
• People diagnosed with osteoporosis, diabetes or hypertension, are advised to engage in running for a few miles per day.
• Running is beneficial in reducing the risk of heart attacks, by strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure and maintaining the elasticity of arteries.
• Cancer patients are also advised to indulge in running as it proves to be helpful in improving their condition.
• Regular running raises HDL (good) cholesterol, reduces the risk of blood clots and encourages use of the 50% of your lungs that usually go unused.
• Running has positive effects on the immune system. It creates a higher concentration of lymphocytes in the blood.

Psychological Benefits

• Running also has a positive effect on the mind of the person. It builds confidence and gives a feeling of empowerment and freedom that comes with knowing the fact that your legs and body are strong and capable.
• We all know running reduces body weight and helps you gain a better self-image. With this, the runner also gets a boost in his/her personality and becomes more confident, than he/she ever was.
• Running relieves a person off stress. The feeling of high that you get while striding ahead, beating past the air, refreshes the mind and the heart completely.
• It might surprise you, but running has been used a treatment for curing clinical depression and addictions of all kinds. Patients often feel less tensed, less depressed, less fatigued and less confused after indulging in the practice of running.
• The mind starts working fast when a person engages himself in running. While the body gets strength, the mind becomes more focused and determined.