Why the world's oldest sport is still one of the best exercises

When it comes to cardiovascular exercise, running is in a class of its own.

It's a sport that has endured millennia—the oldest and once only Olympic event was a sprint known as the stadion, but its practical benefits date back to prehistoric times.

"In order to hunt and survive, humans had to develop the ability to run millions of years ago, so it's engrained in who we are as a species," says Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. "Over the centuries, it's grown into one of the most popular and accessible worldwide sports for both elite athletes and everyday people."

Today, some 50 million Americans regularly engage in the activity that appeals to both the old and young alike and is about as popular among women as it is among men.

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"Across all age groups, running helps to improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce overall mortality, to manage weight, to improve bone density and muscle strength and coordination, and to reduce stress and improve mental health," says Danielle Ponzio, an orthopedic surgeon at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a co-author of running-related research.

Though running isn't for everyone—people with certain medical conditions may need to pursue non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming—it's a sport that benefits its participants as much today as it would have helped runners in ancient times.

Unparalleled cardiovascular and respiratory benefits

The most consistently studied benefit of running is improved heart health. It does this, in part, by making the heart "a stronger, more efficient pump," says Allison Zielinski, a cardiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the co-director of the sports cardiology program at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. A stronger cardiac muscle, she explains, improves one's cardiac output—a scientific measurement of how much blood the heart can pump in a minute, which healthcare providers use to gauge the strength and efficiency of a patient's cardiovascular system.

Zielinski adds that running also affects one’s autonomic nervous system—the body’s network responsible for regulating involuntary physiological processes such as digestion and respiration—by reducing one's resting heart rate. This is significant because studies show that every 10-beat-per-minute increase in one's resting heart rate is associated with a 16 percent increase in mortality risk.

Such improvements in cardiovascular performance are among the reasons the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes running as a "vigorous-intensity" activity—the health agency's highest measurement of aerobic exercise.

Running has also been shown to improve circulation, causing "favorable changes in your blood vessels, including increased capillary density and improved endothelial reactivity—something known as vasodilation," Zielinski explains.

Research shows that running improves lung capacity and performance as well. It accomplishes this, in part, by improving the maximum rate at which one can utilize oxygen—a measurement known as VO2max. This measurement reflects the maximal amount of oxygen-rich blood someone can pump out of their heart and deliver to their muscle to drive movement, says Olenick.

Living longer and better

This has a direct association with improved all-cause mortality as "even a small increase in VO2max can have meaningful improvements in long-term health," says Olenick. But it's only one of many markers of longevity associated with running.

One landmark 15-year study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, for instance, found that running for even five to 10 minutes a day resulted in an average three-year life expectancy gain. Duck-Chul Lee, a co-author of the research and a professor of physical activity epidemiology at Iowa State University College of Human Sciences, says these benefits are accomplished, in part, because "running reduces the risk of many diseases and conditions including coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes."

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Another longitudinal study found runners had a 39 percent lower mortality rate and experienced less physical disability than non-runners. Running has also been associated with decreased LDL cholesterol levels and improved blood pressure.

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The activity is good for muscle growth and increasing bone density, which is especially important for older people. "As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass and bone density," says Ponzio, "and weight-bearing exercise like running is an effective way to counter these losses." Indeed, one study shows that long-distance running in particular increases biological markers of bone formation.

Because of these and related benefits, "running can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis and arthritis," says Austin "Ozzie" Gontang, a clinical psychotherapist and the director of the San Diego Marathon Clinic in California.

Healthy weight management is another quality-of-life advantage associated with running. One reason for this is that running at even a moderate pace of five miles per hour (many runners run in excess of 12 mph) burns 590 calories per hour in a 154-pound person, which is as much or more than any other CDC-measured physical activity including swimming, weightlifting, bicycling, or playing basketball. "Running is a powerful tool for burning calories and is crucial for weight loss and maintenance," says Gontang.

In this regard, it's also helpful that running increases energy expenditure and boosts one's metabolism by helping the body metabolize fats and carbs, "both during exercise and after we eat," says Olenick. In similar fashion, running has also been shown to help with healthy blood-sugar regulation.

Mental health advantages

Running's mental health plusses are no less intriguing. "Running can be done on your own, but often has a social component as well, whether it's running with a friend or being part of a running club or virtual community," says Karmel Choi, a clinical psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "This adds to the emotional benefits by reducing isolation and increasing a sense of support and motivation."

The activity can also be good for depression. Choi points to a recent study that found that individuals with depression who started running regularly "recovered at similar rates to those taking antidepressants." She's published supportive research and notes that her team estimates that if someone swapped just 15 minutes of sitting for 15 minutes of running each day, they could "reduce their risk of depression by as much as 26 percent." Part of the reason for this is because running has been shown to release "feel-good hormones like endorphins and dopamine, that have been linked to better mood, reduced stress, and even the 'runner’s high,'" Choi explains.

Beyond helping one feel better, running is associated with improved cognitive function. "Running can boost brain function by enhancing memory and learning capabilities," says Gontang. He says this occurs because running increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the production of a molecule known as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), "which supports the growth of new neurons and protects existing brain cells."

Getting started

Perhaps most compelling of all is that there are very low costs and almost no barriers of entry associated with participating in the sport. "Running can seem intimidating because it sometimes seems like people need all the latest watches or gear or tools or shoes to participate, but people can simply start with a road or trail near them, and often things they already own," says Olenick.

To get started, begin slow and then work up to higher and higher fitness levels.

"Try and make it easier to increase physical activity in your daily life and within the context of daily activities you're already doing such as parking a bit further from the grocery store or taking the stairs at work," suggests Rajesh Vedanthan, a physician and population health scientist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. From there, he suggests briskly walking around the block before attempting jogging and then running.

Even after getting used to the movement, Lee suggests alternating running laps with walking or jogging laps. Adopting proper form and posture is also recommended. "Keep your head up and look forward as you run to align your spine," offers Gontang. He also says it's important to keep your shoulders relaxed and to keep your elbows at 90 degrees and to "avoid overstriding."

Developing a running schedule, finding a running buddy (the family dog counts!), and setting realistic and measurable goals are additional ways of staying motivated and keeping yourself accountable. "Proper shoe type and fit are also important," advises Ponzio.

As you go, she suggests listening to your body, avoiding doing too much, too quickly, and varying your surroundings, terrain, and destination. "Eventually, sign up for some races as the adrenaline of being part of something bigger with a community of like-minded runners is really so special," she says. "It keeps runners coming back for more."