I’m not sure why I finally decided to give running a try. I think it was a stealth move by my husband. He has been a runner since his schooldays and even ran the London Marathon 15 years ago, but I’d never been tempted to join him because it was “his” thing. “My” thing, I have always said, is dance. Cue a slightly condescending voice: “Dancing is so much more creative and just as good for you in terms of fitness.” But the truth is I’m now in my mid-50s, and dance has fallen by the wayside because I couldn’t find local classes that suit me. My weight has crept up over the past couple of years, probably because I’m in the throes of menopause, and I needed to make a change. It just so happened that my husband’s physio (he currently has a calf injury) suggested he strengthen it slowly using the popular NHS Couch to 5K app and, for some reason, I decided to join him. And, suddenly, I’m a runner.
A Sport England survey published in April 2023 shows there are 1.3 million more active people aged 55-74 than there were in 2015-16. As of last year, 6 million people in England run regularly, ranking it as the most popular sport, and there have been a record 578,374 applicants for the 2024 London Marathon, compared to the previous record of 457,861 in 2019. Community events are also more popular than ever, with Parkrun, which began in 2004, holding more than 1,000 events every weekend across the UK. The average Parkrun time has increased from 22 minutes and 17 seconds in 2005 to 32 minutes and 34 seconds in 2023 as a more diverse range of abilities take part, proving just how inclusive such events have become. Running is no longer the preserve of “proper” athletes, it’s for everyone.
So, five weeks ago, I stepped out of my front door on day one of Couch to 5K. As expected, after running for a grand total of three minutes, I thought I was going to expire on the streets of north London. But now, as if by magic, I’m able to run for a quarter of an hour without stopping! I still don’t have the proper kit, much to my husband’s annoyance. He wears the full Nike gear, running tights and sweat-wicking tops, while I wear ancient trackie bottoms, topped off with a 25-year-old Illustrated People sweatshirt, but I don’t care.
Project manager Emma Snead started running at the age of 45 during lockdown. She says, “I live in rural southwest France and was around a size 20 when I started running. You don’t often see many people of that size exercising – especially in France – and I tried not to care, but I did notice people staring. After three weeks of following the Couch to 5K app, I knew I was progressing. I felt better about how I looked and I stopped caring what people thought.”
Three years on, she’s still at it. “I run for half an hour every day. Even if it sucks and you’re hating it, it’s such a short time before you can be back on the sofa that it’s not a great hardship. It becomes a bit of me-time, away from work, being a mum, the house. Instead of sitting on the sofa, eating and scrolling through stuff on my phone, I’m by the river, seeing herons and squirrels, listening to science podcasts or the radio or a Nineties R&B playlist I’ve not listened to in years.”
The benefits of running after 40
It seems that the positives of running are myriad: the NHS lists improved heart and lung health, increased joint strength and flexibility, and a reduction in the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. It is also thought to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.
Dr Jennifer Wilson is a senior exercise and health practitioner at Nottingham Trent University and a trustee of FiiT for Life, a charity that provides exercise training. She says: “For people returning to or starting exercise, running is a great way to improve health and mental wellbeing. This is particularly true if it is practised outdoors – the benefits of green exercise are well documented.”
This article was originally published by a www.telegraph.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .