Ken Jeffries, Reporter

Most people have heard that running is good for you, but is it? One would-be marathon runner says the answer is a definitive “YES!” 

Although running for health is one of the easiest, cheapest and most available forms of exercise, there are many facets to this activity that might not be readily apparent. For one, some runners don’t do it selfishly — they want to inspire others and provide a positive example of achieving a difficult task or goal. People also run to prove to themselves that they can set a goal and stick with it until they reach it. Of course, one of the most prevalent reasons people run is, in fact, to improve or maintain their health.

Science has proven that running has many measurable health benefits. According to WebMD.com, it improves cardiovascular health, can provide better sleep, improves knee and back health, improves memory, can provide better mood and energy (“Runner’s high is real,” it states), and lower your risk of colds and upper-respiratory infections by a whopping 43 percent. 

You don’t need to run marathons to see health benefits, either. Running for as little as at least ten minutes a day can produce many of the above-mentioned perks.

According to Gravette, Arkansas resident Ben Baker, running long-distance races is more mentally than physically rewarding. “It’s nice to have a personal goal and see yourself reach it,” he said. He also said that running is appealing to anyone who wants to challenge themselves. Baker’s eventual personal running goal is to be able to run a full marathon (26.2 miles), but said he would work up to that. He has run several 5K and 10K races and said he will continue to do these shorter races as training, and won’t tackle the full marathon until he can finish a half-marathon race “at a good pace.” 

Baker also said that although he spends about one-to-two hours a week running, when training for a marathon, “That’s not enough. Ideally that should be about four or five hours a week, and that doesn’t include the time for taking care of your feet and the necessary physical therapy.” Baker takes ice baths for about 5 minutes after each long run, and often uses a massage gun on his legs and feet. 

While Baker is an example of a person who runs for his health, Benjamin Baxter of Bentonville actually had to quit long-distance running because of a weak immune system. He has run a couple of 5K races in the past, and thinks he could probably walk a 5K, even today. He suffers from symptoms of Severe Intestinal Permeability, and his immune system cannot handle the repairs a running lifestyle demands on the body. “The excess adrenaline can cause anxiety attacks,” he said, even though casual running or walking can relieve stress. Baxter said he would like to ease back into it, because it would probably help to fix his illness.

There are myriad resources available on the Internet that show the benefits of running as a lifestyle, and that provide tips for those just beginning to run for health, but here are some from Baker and Baxter:

You need to measure your commitment to making running a part of your lifestyle. It’s easy to get excited at first, and then fall away. Take the time to enjoy the time so you don’t burn out.   

Baker recommends NOT listening to music or other audio while running — motivate yourself rather than relying on external impetus.

Run with a friend or spouse when possible.

When training for a long race, it’s important to pace yourself about 90 percent of the time so that you can carry on a conversation. Endurance is what matters most.

Endurance also helps avoid injury.

Vary the types of your training. Do intervals, hill work, and other workouts to keep your running interesting.

Share your goals and your progress with your peers. This creates accountability.

A final thought from Baker: “Anyone can do it if they just think they can.”

Baxter added, “While you still can, definitely do it. You don’t know what’s coming, and it can be taken away from you. It will probably benefit you a lot and then you won’t lose that ability. When you start, you can see the benefits, especially when you push to your limits. You can notice the benefits of it.”