BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Running is the Ticket to Self-Improvement

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let’s get started by talking about self-improvement. It seems only fitting since September is SELF-IMPROVEMENT MONTH. But before we do, let’s discuss what self improvement actually is. As defined, Self-improvement is the intentional, ongoing process of actively enhancing one's own skills, knowledge, character, and overall well-being to become a better version of oneself and to realize one's full potential. It involves self-awareness, setting personal goals, taking deliberate actions to achieve them, and continuously learning and adapting through various aspects of life, including personal, professional, and health-related areas.

That being said, we know that one of the best health-related areas to practice self-improvement is running because the discipline it takes to become better in that area almost always spills over into other areas of our life. Which is the very reason, it’s a great time to motivate you to continue your training for the Bass Pro Marathon/Half and/or the Dogwood Canyon trail runs. With mileage amping up, you might be tempted to quit. But don’t! Your self-improvement will pay off and might even add three years to your life!

Now if this has you saying, “Yeah, right Melissa, three years?” check out what runner Dr. Bradley Jones had to say (with my two cents thrown in of course):

“As a marathoner, recent news about the health benefits of running grabbed my attention: for every hour you pound the pavement, you add an extra seven hours to your life, according to new research. Running has been widely studied for its impact on health, but the new findings dig deeper into how the activity may extend people’s lives. Previously, as little as five minutes of daily running has been associated with longer lifespans. A lot of questions surfaced from that, so researchers reanalyzed data and looked at other large-scale recent studies on exercise and mortality.

What they discovered was impressive. Depending on how much you run, you could potentially add about three extra years to your life (and that's not even touting the extra "quality" of life that comes from being in shape). Amazingly, this was the case even if people smoked, drank or were overweight. It was also true for those who run slowly or run just once in a while.

It’s unclear why running is better than other forms of exercise for increasing life expectancy (I personally attribute it to the way it trains a person's mind to deal with pain, setback, and anxious thoughts. The resiliency learned through running decreases stress in other areas of life). Other types of exercise — such as walking and cycling — do improve life expectancy, but running was shown to improve it the most. Walking, cycling and other activities decreased risk of death by about 12 percent, compared to 40 percent with running.

You don’t have to run marathons to reap the benefit (This is true but... you must be consistent and being consistent in your training is easier when you have goals to reach which means signing up for marathons or half marathons helps you continually improve). Incorporating 2 – 4 hours of running per week into your routine is all you need. Make sure to start slowly to avoid getting injured, and gradually build up to more mileage.

It could be that running is best at lowering blood pressure, increasing fitness and reducing extra body fat, especially around the middle. These are common risk factors for early death.

If you’re not sure how to get started, remember it’s okay to walk. Use the run-walk method — do one minute of running for every four minutes of walking, and then gradually increase your running time and decrease your walking time. Stick with it, and you’ll be running two hours per week in no time.”

So, as you can see, self-improvement starts with intentionality and is fueled along by consistency. But it’s a process that’s certainly not easy, although it comes with many rewards. Which is the very reason, I hope you’ll stick with your training so you’ll see the benefits of your pursuit of self-improvement in the "short run." And once you’ve crossed the finish line, I hope you’ll keep the momentum going and choose another area of your life to improve on so you can experience the benefits of it for the "long run" (like those puns?) as well. Perhaps it’s learning a new skill? Taking the time to journal? Making a practice of being grateful? Or maybe even picking another race? Whatever you decide, make it your mission to continue improving for life so you’ll reap the rewards now and in the extra years you’ll gain from doing so. Happy Running!