Running to live better
We live in a time where the dominant news is distressing, worrying, the atmosphere tense, uptight and where the future seems uncertain, risky. And yet on a daily basis, I rub shoulders very closely with a world that does not correspond at all to what the times send as dominant signals. On the contrary! The world I rub shoulders with is a positive, enthusiastic, relaxed, friendly universe, where the values of surpassing oneself, of effort are honored, where each participant is encouraged and each small or big victory is celebrated. This universe is that of running, trail running and trail running. I am lucky to be immersed in it every day and to be in almost daily contact with runners. Thanks to my activity as an entrepreneur in the field of running, I speak and exchange with hundreds of runners. And there is a key and central message that emerges from all of these exchanges: the secret of running is that running is living better.
So at the time of new resolutions just before the new year, if this article can convince some of you to join us in this great community of running, trail running or trail running enthusiasts, it will be my first good deed of 2025.
The important thing is health. No doubt about it. And to have it or keep it, running is a simple and effective remedy. Running is an exercise that allows you to increase your cardiovascular endurance by improving blood circulation. It is an excellent way to strengthen your heart and make it more efficient by practicing regularly. In addition, when we run, our body releases endorphins, which have the particularity of acting as natural painkillers that reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It is endorphins that give us this feeling of being very relaxed for a few hours after the race, the ' runner's high' .
Improving physical condition
By training regularly and alternating running, muscle strengthening and flexibility, we will improve our physical condition. Our heart will be able to support sustained efforts for longer, the muscles will tone up and reaching or maintaining a healthy weight will reduce the risks associated with being overweight and sedentary. Running makes us more resistant, more enduring, it strengthens our immune system. On a daily basis, it also gives us more energy, a more positive attitude and it delays the onset of fatigue.
Improving mental health
The benefits of running don't stop at better physical condition. They are also evident in our mental health. Running, especially in contact with nature, is a bit like meditating while moving. The beauty of the landscapes, the light of day from dawn to sunset or even a starry sky during a night out, these are all sources of daily wonder that inspire and soothe. Running is also an excellent therapy to gain self-confidence, seeing the progress made, finishing a race that we thought was beyond our abilities a few years or a few months ago.
An individual sport to be enjoyed by others
Running, paradoxically, is an individual sport ideal for sharing experiences and emotions with others. Most of the time, it is not a team sport except for duo races or relays for example, and yet it is a very collective sport with a real spirit of sharing, mutual support and respect for the effort and performance of the fastest to the slowest. There is certainly a competitive spirit especially among the fastest and that is also part of the sport, but it is a competition most of the time healthy and respectful. In the vast majority of cases during a competition, the runner fights first against himself or herself and against the clock. Participating in a race or competition is also an opportunity to discover a new city or new landscapes with friends, family or within a club and to share the experience of a friendly weekend.
An accessible and universal sport
The great advantage of running is that it is the most accessible sport. It can be practiced all year round, close to home or while traveling a few dozen kilometers from home, a few hundred, or even a few thousand. All you need is a pair of shoes, most of the time a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and off you go, you set off to discover a new place, new routes and new landscapes. It is also a very accessible sport. It does not require in-depth or relatively difficult technique to acquire like swimming. And to discover a city, a new valley, a new forest or a new lake, running, even if it can be demanding on certain sessions, leaves us the leisure most of the time to raise our heads and look around us, to enjoy nature and the landscapes and when we run with several people to enjoy a moment of conviviality and sharing.
In other words, running is the almost perfect antidote to the ills of our modern societies and our times. It is synonymous with appeasement and not anxiety. It is a positive, stimulating physical experience that rhymes with better physical and mental health, sharing experiences and emotions in a world where the risks of excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle and those of loneliness and social isolation pose serious physical and mental dangers to many people. It allows us to reconnect with nature, to marvel at the beauty and diversity of these landscapes in a world that often forgets and sometimes unfortunately mistreats nature. Finally, it brings us closer together regardless of our level, our experience, our age, our professional occupation, our political opinions in a world where oppositions are increasingly marked and the camps increasingly entrenched.
So if you want to live better, don't hesitate.
If you want to live better, just run.
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