With sedentary lifestyles and self-isolation the new norm, it's more important than ever to take care of your health with regular exercise. If you're cooped up at home and missing gym days, you may have considered going for a run. Regular aerobic exercise is very beneficial right now with the current situation as it can help manage stress, anxiety, depression and improve sleep quality.
Some people take that regularity very seriously and commit to running daily, or even running 5Ks every day. The consensus is clear: running is beneficial for your health. But how much is too much? What really happens to your body when you run 5K every day? This is what you can expect.
Physical advantages
Going for a run goes far beyond spending calories or clearing your mind. Below we discover the best benefits of running every day, reaching a minimum of five kilometers.
Improve the tone of your muscles
By running a 5K every day, you will likely see improvements in your muscular endurance and potentially in the size of the primary muscles used while running, such as your quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and calves.
Although there's limited research on what happens to muscles after running 5Ks seven days a week, an April 2014 study in Exercise Sports Science Review came close. The researchers set out to challenge the dogma that cardio doesn't help with muscle growth.
They compared the results of 12-week aerobic and resistance training plans in a small group of older adults and concluded that both training routines led to similar muscle growth. In fact, the evidence was strong enough for researchers to recommend cardio as an effective countermeasure for age-related muscle loss.
However, if your goal is to build muscle size, called hypertrophy, you'll also need to incorporate strength training. In a February 2019 review in Sports Medicine, researchers reviewed the current evidence on differences in muscle growth from aerobic and anaerobic forms of exercise. As expected, anaerobic forms of exercise, such as weight lifting, promoted more muscle growth than cardiovascular exercises.
Running takes care of your joints
There is a common perception that running increases the risk of joint problems, such as osteoarthritis, more than walking and other low-impact forms of exercise, especially when running long distances or without enough days off.
Although running a 5K every day isn't necessarily directly beneficial for your joints, some research shows that runners have a lower risk of joint problems.
In a July 2013 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers found that 4 percent of walkers but only 75 percent of runners reported osteoarthritis over a six to seven-year period. years. Just under 2 percent, 68, of walkers had hip replacements, versus 1 of runners, possibly because runners had a lower average body weight, and lower body weight puts less strain on the joints.
Even though a daily 5K challenge could cause joint problems, especially if you're carrying a little extra weight and are new to running, according to a May 2013 study in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, you shouldn't avoid it. solely for fear of joint trouble. Just keep your fitness level in mind and start slowly.
Increase your cardiovascular fitness
Cardiovascular exercise, including running, is particularly effective for improving your cardiovascular fitness. Cardiovascular fitness refers to your body's ability to absorb and utilize oxygen during exercise; it is the result of your lungs, muscles, heart and blood working in synchrony.
The more cardio you do, and the longer you do it, the more you'll improve your cardiovascular fitness, according to a June 2015 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Running daily will definitely increase your fitness by increasing the strength of your heart, the amount of oxygen your lungs can absorb, and the length of time your muscles can continue consistent contractions. Although, if you're already running daily and don't challenge yourself through intensity or duration, you're more likely to have a maintenance effect.
In other words, if you're already running regularly at a steady pace over similar distances, the daily 5K will help you maintain your current level of fitness. But if you haven't been running, you would theoretically expect significant improvements in your cardio. The only way for the body to improve is to be challenged appropriately.
You lose weight in a healthy way
If you run 5K every day, there's a good chance you'll lose weight. Increasing 5K running distance was associated with weight loss in both men and women in an April 2013 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. And doing cardio five days a week for 10 months helped people lose weight. Even when they didn't have strict dietary restrictions, according to a September 2013 Obesity study.
That's likely due to a fundamental truth of weight loss. When you burn more calories than you take in, you start to lose extra pounds. By running a 5K every day, you'll increase the number of calories you burn and therefore increase your chances of losing weight if you're also making smart choices in the kitchen.
The number of calories you burn running a 5K depends on several factors, including your age, weight, conditioning, whether you're on a treadmill, and of course, your speed.
The physical activity calorie counter estimates that a 68kg person running at 8km/hour will burn around 360 calories in 5 kilometers. Burning 360 calories each day can certainly help you lose weight. However, if you are overeating, you may not see noticeable results.
more efficient breathing
Running every day will help us learn to use our breath more efficiently. It all stems from the diaphragm, the main muscle that controls breathing, which sits between your chest and abs and is a great core stabilizer.
But if diaphragmatic breathing is impaired or reduced, secondary respiratory muscles such as the scalenes (respiratory muscle in the neck), sternocleidomastoid (muscle in the neck), pectoralis minor (chest muscle), levator scapulae (muscle in the upper back) and upper trapezius (upper back muscle) can be over-relied, leading to shallower, more chest-oriented breathing.
Over time, this can lead to disturbed alignment of the ribs, shoulders, neck, and head, resulting in pain from overuse of these muscles.
Increase resistance
Running in heat can make us a better runner. We will run slower in hot weather because the body is working hard to stay cool. This work will make us a better runner in colder climates.
This is because the body is undergoing physiological adaptations to work with less oxygen. Like training at altitude, where the body has less oxygen in the air to breathe, training in the heat means less oxygen for the muscles that work to keep us cool.
Heat training increases the volume of red plasma, offering more blood to carry oxygen to the muscles. Similarly, altitude forces the body to generate a greater number of red blood cells. Studies find that training in the heat can improve VO2 max, stamina, and improve rate of perceived exertion and fatigue, and makes us mentally stronger.
mental advantages
Going for a run every day also has great mental health benefits. Beyond gaining self-esteem through weight loss, there are other factors that influence emotional well-being.
Better mood
Running 5K every day could have positive effects on your mood and mental health. Getting more physical activity appears to protect against developing depression, and any activity is better than none, according to a January 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Just 15 minutes of intense, heart-pumping activity like brisk running or an hour of steadier cardio like jogging was linked to a lower risk of depression in the study. Although depression is a complicated condition and there is no simple cure, running 5K daily is definitely a form of exercise that could help improve your overall mood and mental well-being.
Promotes sleep quality
The daily 5 km can even help you sleep better. Regular exercise (including running) was found to improve sleep quality in 29 of 34 studies analyzed in a 2014 review in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Just make sure you allow plenty of time to cool down before you go to bed. According to a February 2019 review in Sports Medicine, a hard running workout within an hour of bedtime has been shown to affect the quality of your sleep and your ability to fall asleep.
Reduces stress
Running prepares us to face stress and daily challenges without panicking. We will stop thinking too much and we will feel more relaxed. This is because running can immediately reduce activity in the frontal cortex. This makes running the easiest and healthiest way to break free from the daily grind.
It also helps with anxiety disorder and panic attacks. Scientists have used the carbon dioxide challenge test to determine the connection between anxiety sensitivity and physical activity. They found that the most physically active people were less likely to panic in fearful situations, even if they had anxiety sensitivity. The scientists used the carbon dioxide challenge test to determine the connection between anxiety sensitivity and physical activity. They found that the most physically active people were less likely to panic in fearful situations, even if they had anxiety sensitivity.
Increase self-esteem
Running builds confidence like few other individual sports can. Runners grow stronger and more confident with each step. Running allows us to really climb hills and get around obstacles; it provides a feeling of empowerment and freedom that comes from knowing that the legs and body are strong and capable.
Researchers have found that physical activities like running and jogging are directly linked to better self-esteem. Regular exercise can lead to a better perception of fitness and body image, both of which were related to self-esteem.
Some of the studies show a positive association with greater self-identity and self-efficacy, with lower levels of depression. Additionally, studies investigating marathon training showed a positive relationship with self-esteem and psychological coping.
When are the benefits noticed?
The benefits of running will depend on the type of training we do. For example, they can be noticed in a speed training very quickly, in one or two days. The nervous system responds quickly to new stimuli because the growth and recovery cycle is very short.
If we are to feel the effects of hill work, muscular strength and anaerobic capacity take longer to develop due to the intense demand on the body and the amount of time it takes for muscle fibers to recover after intense sessions. Therefore, they are needed between 10 and 14 days to get all the benefits of an anaerobic capacity workout.
For marathon races, the benefits begin to show between 7 and 10 days. The recovery cycle after a pace run is faster, allowing us to reap the benefits of training in about a week.
If we want to know how long it will take us to notice physical changes, we have to analyze the time we dedicate to this sport. If we do it regularly, it is possible to notice aesthetic changes in less than a month. In addition, internal improvements start from the first day we decided to go out for a few minutes.
Contraindications of running every day
Despite being a cardiovascular activity that improves our health, running can also have some negative points. Be sure to tailor a routine to your physical condition and be aware of the following risks.
Joint problems and impact injuries
Repeated blows take their toll (both short term and long term) on the bones. Particularly in joints like the knee, which is very susceptible to injury. Running regularly will strengthen the skeleton, but equally, if you always run on sidewalks, wear the wrong shoes or concentrate on long distances on the road, you can injure yourself.
It is advisable to start little by little and with the right clothes and shoes. Make sure you have a good footing and that your ankles absorb the impact well. To have the necessary knowledge, you can go to a clinic specialized in biomechanical analysis of the foot.
overload injury
Some of the more common overuse injuries associated with running can be:
- Achilles tendinitis: inflammation of the tendon that connects the calf to the heel
- Plantar fasciitis irritation of the band of connective tissue between the heel and forefoot
- Shin splints pain or inflammation of the muscles or tendons along the shin
- ITB Syndrome tightness and swelling of the IT band, the thick band of tissue that runs on the outside of the thigh, from the hip to the knee
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome irritation of the cartilage below the kneecap or strain of the underlying tendons, also known as runner's knee.
It's boring
Riding the same routes week after week is boring. Exercising for no purpose (unlike running during a soccer game or a sport) is meaningless. Perhaps it is a good excuse to stay active and get rid of a difficult day.
Running can be boring because by nature it is a repetitive activity. However, by varying the routes, distances and training sessions, training with friends or alone should never lead to monotony.
Causes imbalances in the body
Most runners have muscle imbalances because they neglect upper body training and tend to opt for more running. Therefore, they can become susceptible to injury and typically have limited upper body strength.
Many runners are unbalanced with a weaker upper body. Running builds strong legs, but all runners should spend time in full conditioning. It is important to develop upper body strength and maintain complete postural balance.
You may be less flexible and suffer muscle injuries
The main topic of conversation at any running club night, or at the starting line of any race, is who is currently injured, who has been injured, and who is coming back from injury. Injuries and career go hand in hand.
It is true that too many runners are injured unnecessarily. It is important to follow the correct training protocols and focus on regular flexibility training. Especially in the older type of runner to ensure that he can continue training without hindrance.
Running can become a sick obsession
A good run gets the blood flowing through your veins, improves your mood, and is a great weight control tool. All these positive aspects make you want to keep repeating the experience. That makes for a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Runners are too focused on weekly mileage. There are those who never miss a training session and manipulate their day around the training run so that they dominate above all else.
Running is an obsessive activity and can attract obsessive characters. It also provides a host of physical and psychological benefits every time you run. The key is to keep your career in perspective and in balance with the rest of your life so that you enhance it rather than dominate it.
stagnant performance
Running gets a little easier the more we do it, but like any type of exercise, running the same distance and speed every day can lead to a plateau where we can't improve our pace or increase our mileage.
If we run every day, we are most likely using the slow twitch muscle fibers and not sufficiently training the fast twitch muscle fibers, which is where power and speed will come from. What will ultimately make you a better runner is adding strength training to your routine. We will focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, inner and outer thigh muscles, and abdomen.
Can everyone run 5 kilometers?
Training and running the 5K is not just a reasonable way to improve your health; it might also provide more reward for effort than training for a marathon.
Keeping your mileage at lower effort comes with one main benefit: reduced risk of injury. Injuries are often related to training volume. That's not to say you can't train injured during a 5K, but it's less likely, especially if you care about gradually increasing your mileage and intensity.
By focusing on the 5K, we're optimizing health benefits and minimizing injury, and if we're hesitant about training, we're also able to maximize fitness gains. Training seriously for the 5K will bring you closer to your biological potential for aerobic fitness.
Choosing this modality will allow you to run easily every weekend. And if a race goes wrong, you can try again the next weekend. It is a more sustainable plan. Instead of concentrating on a single event, your training can become a part of life, one that complements you rather than surpasses you.
Is it okay to run 5 km in 30 minutes?
Even if we've never run a 5K before, we can probably get in shape in a few months by doing a proper training routine. If we run a 5K race, we should be happy with ourselves no matter the results, but it's natural to want to know if the time is above or below average.
Factors like age, gender, and fitness level can influence your 5K time. Many runners complete a 5K in 30 to 40 minutes, and many runners are satisfied with their time if it's close to this benchmark. On the other hand, those who do it on foot usually take between 45 and 60 minutes.
If we run a mile roughly every 5-6 minutes, we can expect our 5K time to be less than or around 25 minutes. However, this is not easy for many people to achieve, so beginners should aim to run a mile in about 7-8 minutes.
When to take a break?
If we decide we could benefit from rest days, strategically scheduling them is all we need. The best days to rest will depend on the type of runner we are, when we usually run (and for how long), and if we are training for a specific event.
If we have to run many kilometers on the weekends, for example, Monday could be a good rest day. If we're training for a long-distance race, like a marathon, and we do the long runs on Saturday, we may want to rest on Friday to keep our legs fresh when we hit the track.
Rest days for new runners
Experts often advise those just starting to run no more than three to four days a week. We'll aim for 20-30 minutes of activity on race days, two non-race training days, and at least one rest day per week.
As we build stamina, speed, and aerobic capacity, we can begin to gradually add more runs to the workout. We may want to start running every other day. This will give us plenty of recovery time while we develop the habit of running. We can take a full rest day or do another activity on non-running days.
But we must also be careful not to let rest be an excuse for not running. We will need to stick to a consistent schedule if we are to achieve our training goals and reach the level of fitness we desire.
Rest days for experienced runners
If we are a more experienced runner, a day or two of rest should be sufficient for injury prevention and recovery. As a general rule, we will limit total mileage to no more than 20 kilometers per week to reduce the risk of injury. All these tips vary according to the physical capabilities of each runner.