There are many favored ways and important reasons to commit to running, walking or any way you pursue an active, healthy lifestyle.

Find meaningful motivation. My daughters influenced a running lifestyle after watching them in marathons and seeing them for a few seconds over five hours. It was much more fun to run with them.

One reason Im motivated to be healthy is my grandchildren. I can feed them at 5:15 a.m., take a morning walk to the park, push them in a stroller during an afternoon run and read books before they go to bed at 8 p.m. It takes serious physical fitness to hang out with grandchildren all day. And it's well worth it!

Running is an opportunity to escape and relieve stress. It is the best mental health prescription. The mind is refreshed, forward-thinking and contemplative. Almost no weather will deter a scheduled run if you are determined and disciplined. Hard work, effort and a positive attitude are the most important determinants of success. Running improves self-confidence and self-esteem. Positive thinking produces endorphins that keep you healthy.

Find a plan that works. For elderly runners, it works well to run every other day. Injuries will occur from overuse. Muscles need rest to recover. Cross train like walking, gardening, cross-country skiing and bicycling on other days.

Get the right running gear. Soon after starting to run, I went to Minneapolis Marathon Sports and got fitted with Saucony shoes. Once you become comfortable with shoes, it is a good idea to stick with them. Wear clothing that breathes. Running is a cheap sport.

Register for a race or fund-raiser walk to help others. If you have been in sports, there always remain competitive juices. When you are in shape, it is fun to say to yourself lets pass some young people during the last mile in a marathon. Races commit you to a schedule.

Pick a benchmark workout. Schedule runs like other appointments to commit yourself. A great thing about running is its a solo sport and nobody else is responsible for what happens you are in control!

Focus on opportunities. Professionally, all the parks are inspected during long weekend runs. It feels good to finish and know there is no garbage along any park roads, trails and some city sidewalks. "Clean and green" has always been our park and zoo theme. We try to be Disney-like.

When you visit other cities, running is a chance to learn about them, including their parks. There is often incredible public art, like Native American eagle sculptures along Bismarcks Missouri River trail.

It is exhilarating to be outdoors, breathe fresh air, hear birds like pileated woodpeckers, smell lilac blooms, feel the wind and taste apples. It stretches you to be the best you can be like other life endeavors. You can eat ravenously because you burn off lots of calories and a tired body sleeps well at night! Running is fun!

Walking and running are ingrained in our DNA. Your body will appreciate a stronger heart and more efficient lungs that process oxygen into the blood. Cancer likelihood lowers for those who regularly exercise. The risk of heart disease is decreased. Bad cholesterol is reduced.

Running reinforces the parks-recreation profession and helps me role model a desirable life balance. Seek at least a half hour of exercise every day. Habits like planks and push-ups after a run provide strength training.

There are many health benefits related to running. Living longer is related to the number of calories burned each week. Running lengthens life. Add two hours to your lifespan for every hour you exercise.

It is good to have a running lifestyle. Runners are yearning for the days when races and marathons can return in some way, like everybody with their favorite recreation activities. Hang in there!

Wayne Beyer is director of Wahpeton Parks and Recreation

See the article here:
It is good to have a running lifestyle - Wahpeton Daily News