Peckham Newsletter April 2013

Healthy Activities
With the MKA charity challenge taking place last week, I would like to highlight the benefits of taking part in a
marathon, even a half marathon, for your health:
1. You’ll stay motivated to run.
While some runners can race a short distance like a 5K with little or no training, most would have a tough time
trying to get through a half marathon with no preparation. So having a half marathon on your calendar will keep
you motivated to stick to your training schedule. On days when your motivation is suffering, you’ll think about how
you’ll feel if you have to back out of the race or if you try to run it completely undertrained.
2. You’ll burn a lot of calories.
Training for a half marathon requires logging a lot of miles, which will turn you into a calorie-burning machine. Of
course, you need to make sure that you’re not overcompensating for those lost calories by going overboard at
post-run meals, especially if you’re hoping to lose weight by running.
3. You’ll experience lots of health benefits.
Beyond helping you to lose or maintain weight, there are lots of other health benefits of half marathon training.
Running will strengthen your heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood and oxygen throughout your body, which
helps decrease your risk of a heart attack. Exercise is one of the best ways to naturally reduce your blood pressure
if it’s above normal and it can help keep high cholesterol in check. Running also improves your immune system, so
your body functions are more effective and efficient at fighting off germs.
4. You’ll have a lifetime of bragging rights.
While the half marathon distance is growing in popularity, the number of people who’ve completed a half marathon
is still very small. Once you cross that half marathon finish line, you’ll be joining an elite group of runners who can
call themselves a half marathoner.
5. You’ll discover new running routes.
If you typically stick to shorter distances for running and racing, training for a half marathon will force you to find
new places to run, since you’ll be doing a long run every week.
6. Your training will have more structure.
If you’re the type of person who likes to follow a schedule, you’ll love training for a half marathon. Every day
you’ll look at your training schedule to see what you need to do, whether it’s running, cross-training, or taking
a complete rest day. Each week, you’ll add a little more distance, so you’ll really feel like you’re making progress
toward your half marathon goal.
7. You’re less likely to get injured than if you trained for a full marathon.
Runners training for a marathon log a lot of miles, putting them at greater risk for overtraining-related and overuse
injuries than those training for a half marathon. Because the mileage demands are not as high as they are with full
marathon training, you’re more likely to give yourself a rest day when you’re starting to feel a little pain, which can
often prevent a full-blown running injury.
For full article visit www.khuddam.org.uk/regions/south/2013/04/30/benefits-of-marathons-0-84990/
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