Learn to Love Exercise

As a teenager Julia Buckley was so sport-phobic she regularly skipped school to avoid PE lessons. Today she's a fitness journalist, personal trainer and six-time marathon runner. Here she shares some of the reasons why running is now such a big part of her life.

At school I hated exercise. But I actually don’t remember anyone suggesting I should feel any other way about it. In my school PE was all about competitive sport and I don't remember any of the teachers even hinting that it might be something we could enjoy, or even that it might have a beneficial effect on our health, and I’m pretty sure those terrifying "games" teachers weren’t too concerted about our emotional well-being. (My heart still sinks at the memory of being picked last among my peers for every team.) The only benefit that was to be had, it seemed, was if you were lucky enough to enjoy the glory of winning. Running in particular was about finishing first. I was never going to come first, second, or even third. So why bother?

Today, I’m still not winning any races. But I bet I could run rings around most of those girls, now women, who picked me last in P.E. (Not that I’m at all smug about that fact… Well, only a tiny bit.) I’m a marathon runner. And I love it.  

Calorie killer

Like most adults who take up running, I started in the sport (calling what I do a “sport” still makes me hesitate, even though it clearly is) primarily as a means of controlling my weight.

Dr Ian Campbell is a GP specialising in weight management and Chair of the National Obesity Forum. He believes the benefits of running for fat loss are immense.

“One hour spent running might account for 600 calories being burned off, though the precise amount varies depending on the physique of the runner and the distance covered,” Dr Campbell said. “There’s also the “after-burn” where calories continue to be used up after running, due to a raised resting metabolic rate and soft tissue repair. The more intense, prolonged, and consistent the activity, the greater the after-burn will be. At its simplest, three hours of running in a week could use around 2000 calories, accounting for more than 2 lbs of fat loss in a month.”

Ali Campbell, often dubbed Scotland's top fitness guru, agrees. “Running is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and tone up,” says Campbell. “Unlike cycling or swimming, running is a fully weight-bearing exercise requiring almost all muscle groups.”

The potential for flab-busting got me started, but that alone probably wouldn’t be enough incentive to get me lacing up my trainers first thing on a chilly morning. Happily running has a lot more going for it than simply keeping us slim. For starters, how does a longer, healthier, more independent life grab you?

Life saver

Last year Stanford University released the findings of a study into the effects of running on the bodies of older runners. Dr Eliza Chakravarty, assistant professor of medicine, told us, “We found that a commitment to running, even in the middle and later years of life, not only slows down the rate by which people accrue disability and physical impairment, but also has a notable survival advantage for all causes of death. These results continued to be true even as people entered their ninth decade of life.”

The effect of running was far more dramatic than the scientists expected. They predicted a reduced number of deaths from cardiovascular problems, but running also seemed to be associated with fewer early deaths from cancer, neurological disease, infections, and other causes.

“Runners’ initial disability was 16 years later than non-runners,’” said the study’s senior author, James Fries, MD, an emeritus professor of medicine. “By and large, the runners have stayed healthy.”

What’s more, not only did running delay disability, but the gap between runners’ and non-runners’ abilities got bigger over time. “We did not expect this,” Fries said, “The health benefits of exercise are greater than we thought.”

I can already hear some people shouting that this is all great, but what about the bone and joint damage all that pavement pounding does to our bodies? Actually, the Stanford study found that runners were no more likely to suffer osteoarthritis or need total knee replacements than non-runners.

Dr Chakravarty told us, “We looked at the development of osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis) of the knees in the runners compared to the non-runners, and are happy to report that we did not find any increases in arthritis among the runners.”

“Running straight ahead without pain is not harmful,” said Dr Fries. “When we first began, there was scepticism about our ideas. Now many other findings go in the same direction.”

More joy, less pain

We’ve all seen the way hamsters and mice scurry so enthusiastically in those little wheels. When I’m on the treadmill I certainly feel I’ve got something more in common with them than a fondness for cheese. But mice don’t care about fitting into skinny jeans or helping their bodies fend off disease and, unless they’re secretly charting their times, it seems unlikely that there’s any competitive element to their running.

Ever heard of "runner’s high"? Our rodent friends haven’t, but I’d bet it’s something similar that keeps them scuttling back to that wheel. Most runners know the sensation - after running for a while you feel relaxed, more positive, sometimes even euphoric. Think of the pictures of people bursting into tears as they finish the London Marathon.

Researchers at the Technische Universität München and the University of Bonn, Germany, reported on their study into the effects of running on the brain in the medical journal, Cerebal Cortex, last March. They found that running causes endorphins to be released in the brain. Endorphins are chemicals which have the effect of lifting our mood – the more your body produces, the “higher” you feel. They also dull your perception of pain, which explains how long distance runners tend have higher pain tolerance levels than non-runners.

Recession-friendly fitness

Jon Denoris, voted one of the “Top 3 Personal Trainers” worldwide by the IDEA Health and Fitness Association, is a big believer in running outdoors to ease stress.

Jon says, “I run in the park or along the Thames, especially as the days begin to get longer. Research shows that spending time in green outdoor areas helps stave off depression and anxiety and that’s what we all need in these pressured times.”

Another thing about running, which could help reduce your stress levels around about now, is that it’s easy on the wallet. Jon calls it the ultimate credit crunch fitness. “It’s cheap as chips,” he says. “Once you’ve bought a few basic bits there's no ongoing costs.”

True, some people do go in for expensive running gear, but it’s by no means essential.

“Got a pair of trainers?” asks Jon, “Then you can begin running at some level, even if it’s walk-run intervals at first. Start slowly, listen to your body, and gradually increase duration of runs and then intensity.”

So, running keeps you lean, helps you live a longer, healthier life, it cheers you up, and it’s cheap and easy. What more could you want? ... A social life maybe?

Social scene

There’s nothing like taking a long run with someone for really getting to know them. But what if your friends don’t share your passion for running? With 1,100 running clubs registered with UK Athletics, as well as many which aren’t, there’s almost certainly one near you. These are great places to meet fellow runners and get advice and encouragement. For me, joining a running club was a revelation. Back then I was taking well over an hour to complete a 10k run and I was sure I’d be by far the slowest in the group. Thankfully they had members of all levels of running ability, from kids to grandparents.

Despite the solitary image some people have of runners, we usually tend to be a friendly, sociable bunch. When you’re a runner, wherever you find yourself living, all you need to do is join the local running club to instantly meet a group of people with at least one shared interest.

Running clubs are not bad places for pairing-off either, so I’ve heard, but I won’t go into that here, and I won’t even mention that regular running is thought to improve your sex life, help regulate hormones, and reduce period pains…

If you’re still wondering what makes runners and other fitness fans tick there’s only one thing for it – get your trainers on and give it a go.