CHAPTER 1
Why Run?
While the physical benefits from running can significantly improve the quality of life, the mental enhancements are amazing.
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Many scientists who study the primitive beginnings of humankind believe that before our species was clever enough to make tools and coordinate hunting strategies, our ancestors survived because they covered long distances all day, walking and running to gather food. The endurance walks/runs made our ancient relatives smarter, and according to research, running continues to help us think better, work better, and feel better.
Competing for a limited supply in an increasingly arid climate and lacking speed and strength, our forbearers kept moving, collecting the leftovers that other animals had overlooked or left behind. In the process of pushing on to the next food supply, these primitive predecessors developed the muscle adaptations to cover long distances along with a variety of psychological and spiritual rewards for “going the distance.” So, in the eyes of many experts, humans evolved because they became long-distance athletes. Other specialists in primitive man believe that covering thousands of miles every year in small groups forced the development of human traits like cooperation and mutual support.
What is the evidence that our ancestors ran? Take the Achilles tendon. This is a marvelous mechanical unit which allows humans to move forward very efficiently and quickly, with minimum effort. This degree of sophistication is not needed for walking. Biomechanical experts believe that the Achilles tendon evolved to its advanced design because our early ancestors ran. The proof is pointing to the fact that we were born to walk—and run.
During the period of history when ancient man changed from four legs to two legs (for transportation), the human brain (frontal lobe) developed. Running—even in short segments—revs up this conscious brain improving vitality, attitude, and personal empowerment.
IS RUNNING BETTER THAN WALKING?
Walking is a great exercise which produces few injuries, while burning calories and building fitness. Once conditioned to recreational walking, one can burn many calories without realizing it. The purpose of this book is to offer walkers and sedentary people a gentle program that can improve the quality of their lives. Here’s how the transition occurred:
- At first, the walk was a bit of a challenge to the sedentary body.
- Each walk delivered some exertion-related relaxation and inner satisfaction.
- But after several weeks or months of regular walking, the walker’s improved fitness level reduced the postwalk rewards.
- The walker inserted a few short runs into the daily walks.
- The run segments became more frequent.
- After the run-walk-run days, the walker felt better than he or she initially felt in the beginning stages of walking.
- The walker integrates running into each workout, choosing the amounts of running and walking that work for that day and becomes a runner.
There is no need or goal to run non-stop at any time.
REASONS GIVEN FOR RUNNING
Many walkers start running because they need to squeeze their exercise into a smaller block of time. Often this results from running into a
