Running, walking or combining them both is a fantastic way to increase fitness levels and become more active, relieve tension and tension from your body and practice self-care. But starting can be tough! As a beginner it may require patience and perseverance on your journey. Finding Your Routine: For new runners, finding time and motivation to run can be challenging, so building running into your weekly schedule may increase your likelihood of staying with it long term and seeing results. Choose a time that works for both you and your body: One of the keys to successful fitness is consistency, so select an hour every week when it works best for your schedule and stick to it. While early morning would be ideal, consider when best suits your daily schedule before making your choice. Dress Appropriately: If you are just beginning running or starting over again, investing in some running apparel that will keep you comfortable will be key for staying fit. Look for options made of lightweight wicking fibres which draw moisture away from your skin to keep you cool and dry during exercise. Acquire proper running form: Mastering proper running form can save energy, improve pace and prevent injury by following basic form rules like keeping your posture upright with long and tall back, relaxed shoulders and neutral pelvis position.
Running may be just the way to manage stress and achieve that “runner’s high.” Running for Women’s Mental Health: How It Can Boost Your Mood Running has numerous positive psychological benefits, such as releasing natural compounds associated with feelings of happiness and contentment. A recent study confirmed this benefit of running routines on both genders. Mental Health in Athletes: Psychosocial Stressors Though athletes may appear healthy on the surface, they can still be exposed to many psychosocial stressors that exacerbate or contribute to mental health concerns. Gender-specific and intersectal social factors may play a part in reduced mental wellbeing among female athletes – including sexuality, race ethnicity disability status socioeconomic status. Reducing or preventing psychosocial stressors is central to improving women athletes’ mental health, so developing policy and programs to address these concerns will ensure both athletes themselves, and wider society, benefit from sport’s positive mental health impacts. As athletes move into their senior years, they are at greater risk for suffering diminished mental health. Studies have indicated that athletes who experience depression or anxiety prior to retiring experience greater psychological distress and life satisfaction post-retirement than other athletes. Although this review focused on identifying psychosocial stressors that adversely impact female athletes’ mental health, future research should explore factors affecting transition and retirement experiences of female athletes. This will further advance understanding of mental health disorders etiology, pathophysiology, and neurophysiology.
Injurys sustained while running are among the primary reasons runners seek medical help, with common injuries including knee issues (runner’s knee and IT band syndrome), plantar fasciitis, meniscus tears, patellar tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, calf strains and knee arthritis being some of the more frequent types. Risk factors for injury in runners include individual characteristics, training volume and their gender. A history of previous injuries as well as use of orthotics/inserts have both been shown to increase injury risks among female runners. An analysis of underlying risk factors suggests that gender differences exist for several risk factors associated with injury risk in women: age, previous sports activity, running on concrete surfaces, participation in marathons and weekly running distance of 48-63.8km were more likely to lead to injuries for female runners than for their male counterparts. Running shoes worn for at least 4 – 6 months also increased this risk compared with those never having worn running shoes before. There is currently limited information regarding sexual and running injuries, so it is wise to investigate your personal risk profile compared to that of your partner or friend. Some factors which have been shown to reduce injury risks include:
Maintaining motivation to exercise can be challenging for any runner – be they professional athletes or casual runners alike. Everyone experiences temporary dips in motivation due to stressful periods in life or simply getting bored of running on an identical route every time out. Setting yourself goals to work toward can also help keep motivation strong. Setting a race (such as 5Ks or half marathons) or setting out an individual monthly mileage goal are effective ways of keeping you focused on what’s ahead. Finding a Support Group Leaning on friends or family to stay motivated when running solo can be tough is an excellent way to maintain motivation and stay on the right path. Find people in your area training for similar distance races, and develop an appropriate schedule. Watching a Movie Before Running Need some motivation or need extra push? Watching an inspiring movie may provide just the boost you need to finish your run without making excuses or giving up halfway. It will also help prepare mentally for what lies ahead and avoid making excuses! Making Time to Run Planning out Your Gear Laying out all of your running clothes and gear the night before your run can give an extra boost of motivation when you wake up in the morning, as well as make excuses less likely – because everything needed for running has already been set aside!
