Healthy And Entertaining Runni Essay, Research Paper

Daniel Morstad

Healthy and Entertaining Running

Running is unhealthy and monotonous. At least that is the assumption some individuals make. Though many individuals think running long distance is detrimental to your health and running is tedious and boring. In fact running helps maintain top-notch health and provides first-rate entertainment. Although running may deteriorate knees and seem like a waste of time, it is actually a great heart and lung exerciser and provides a challenge to those brave enough to test the competition.

“The typical joint-jarring that occurs with running will only accelerate arthritis” (Pereles 37). This statement, from a well-known doctor, concerning hip arthritis is absolutely true. The same joint-jarring action that affects arthritis causes the knees to slowly deteriorate. To many people running also appears to be a senseless sport that is a complete waste of time. These individuals that believe running is unhealthy and boring should take some time to reconsider.

“Without question, there are lower cancer death rates in both men and women who are active and healthy”(Cimons 46). This is a statement from Steven Blair, who is studying the relationship between cancer and exercise. Statistics prove that running lowers your risk of many injuries and cancers. Some of these cancers are colon cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. Actively fit men and women are at a 20% to 60% lower risk of getting cancer than nonfit individuals. (Cimons 46-49) Two runners who have beat their sicknesses are Nancy Rose and Roe Branham (Remy 46,48). Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 58. She is convinced that running helped her beat her cancer. Roe’s doctors found a tumor above his left ear and thought that he may never be able to live a normal life again. He believes that running has helped his recovery led him back to a normal life. Many other runners praise running for keeping their lives together and bringing joy to themselves. Adam Goucher was quoted saying; “I love controlling a race. It’s raw, animalistic, with no one to rely on but yourself. There’s no better feeling”(Bloom 37). If running was boring and tedious why would someone say that they love running so much? In addition to these stories and quotes, many more studies and feelings about running are available.

Runners engage in running to be healthy and feel good about themselves. Running has been proven to lower the risk of heart disease and cancers. In addition running strengthens the immune system, which helps fight all diseases and certain types of cancers, by very large percentages. People trying to make it through hardships depend on running as part of their daily routines. Runners also rely on competition to stay entertained. Feeling good and being healthy are main reasons that people turn to running during their day.

Although running can be bad on knees and hips, and at times be boring, it greatly cuts the risk of most major diseases and can be very fun and entertaining. If running can reduce the risk of life threatening illnesses just at the small risk of injury why doesn t everybody run?