By Marianne Furtado de Nazareth –
A couple of Sundays ago a local Bangalore club organised a 5-kilometre jog only for women. It was amazing to see this river of pink clad, jogging women, light up the Bangalore roads at dawn, on a Sunday morning. You don’t have to be a champion athlete to run. Anyone with the will to get out there and make the effort can.
Today, running women are everywhere, like the Tee they had on for the Sunday jog stated – ‘Women who run the world’. According to research, women comprise of nearly 60 percent of finishers in all race events. Women also have been leaders in running for charity, often participating in and organizing events around traditional “women’s issues” such as empowering the girl-child or even a breast cancer campaign. Women-only races defined by an inclusive, you-go-girl vibe seem to be the in thing in Bangalore, with a professional who gets the group pumped up, with their warm up exercises, done to a pounding beat.
For me personally I got back into running after decades. Having enjoyed being a Delhi State National level athlete in my school days, I gave up after a few years in college as my studies took precedence. However after decades, my doctor son has convinced me to get back onto the tracks, so to speak. Being a chronic diabetic, he felt if I followed not only a diet and medication, but if I got back to jogging at least 2k, three times a week, it would help me control my sugars better and keep my limbs agile and cut the fat on my stomach.
That’s easier said than done. Snuggling down under the blankets is a much better option than pulling on my tracks and getting out onto the road. My Dad is not around any more to push and drive me out to run. I have to push myself and I found God as my inspiration. He pushes me through the sleeping household in the semi dark of the dawn, to find the shoe horn to slip on my running shoes. He pushes me to lock the door even in the drizzle outside, gently urging me onwards, down the steps and out of the gate.
In biblical times, as we know, people would mainly run into battle and run away from threats of danger. Today, we mostly run for competitive races and the need to maintain our health. Despite this huge difference, we can still find inspiration from scripture when seeking motivation to run.
My special has always been — Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Ever wondered if there’s a purpose to your running and what it has to do with your spiritual life? There are several books which can inspire you in your faith while encouraging you to excel at getting out and running. Reading these books can help runners of all levels, casual and avid, competitive and recreational, who want to improve their running skills, attain personal running goals, and grow closer to God. The books have devotional readings which will keep runners motivated, inspired, and running in the right direction, both on and off the road, through life’s many peaks and valleys.
Jogging also helps one shake off excess weight despite one having a packed schedule. You may wonder if jogging has any other advantages other than helping you burn calories and build lean muscle mass in your legs. When it comes to your stomach, jogging helps shed abdominal fat, strengthen core muscles and provide numerous other benefits. Jogging helps relieve stress, the stress of the coming day, the stress of managing a family, for a woman a quick morning jog a couple of times a week can help get that adrenaline pumping and ensure a happier day.
All that jogging does add up to an efficient, multifunctional exercise by combining cardio and core muscle activity, according to a study published in “Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism” in 2009. And the more athletic you are, the greater abdominal muscle activation you’ll have while jogging. In the study, showed the greatest overall muscular activation, specifically in their obliques and back muscles.
You don’t have to spend loads of time doing crunches to tone your stomach. Visceral and subcutaneous fat are the most commonly found types of fat on your stomach — and spot exercises such as situps can’t get rid of it. Research found that heading out for a jog most days of the week is the most effective way to shed a few inches from your abdomen. When individuals jogged 20 miles per week, they lost both visceral and subcutaneous fat, according to a study published in “Diabetes Care” in 2009. Those that jogged 12 miles per week put on no visceral fat and non-exercisers gained 9 percent in visceral fat in six months.
A jogging site says, a 50-odd kg woman can burn 303 calories in a 30-minute jogging session at a pace of 5 mph. Compared to other activities, jogging is one of the more efficient ways to burn calories. In 30 minutes, that same woman would burn 157 calories walking, 211 calories swimming and 146 calories cycling at a leisurely pace.
One has to remember, good-quality, sports clothing designed for running, will make all the difference. Get yourself a support sports bra and a good pair of running shoes – ask for advice in a proper sports or running shop, as they can help you pick the perfect shoes for your running style. Make sure you wear a sweat-absorbing top and bottoms to lift any moisture away from your skin, and look for reflective strips so you can be seen if you’re running in dark or cloudy weather.
If you’ve never run before, or if the last time you pounded the pavement was when you were a kid, build up to it by brisk walking. There are some instructive beginner’s apps available, and when you start jogging, it’s smart to focus on time rather than distance: try to jog for one minute, then walk for 30 seconds and keep repeating that pattern. That’s how I do it, having been a sprinter through the years I ran for Delhi State.
As that becomes comfortable, take it up to a couple of minutes and so on, gradually upping your running time over the course of a few outings so eventually you’re not walking at all. See if a friend would like to join you, and sign up for local free events, such as runs that take place in parks. You’ll enjoy the atmosphere and meet other runners to share tips with and keep it social.
If you really get into it, sign up for a 5K race for charity. It will give you something to aim for, especially if you pick a cause close to your heart and raise money, which will help you stay motivated.
Plus for us older women, You naturally lose muscle mass as you age, but regular strength training helps. Stronger muscles should absorb shock better with each step, protecting your joints from wear and tear. Simple things like squats, planks, press-ups and lunges are great.
Taking an omega-3 supplement and eating some oily fish like mackerel should help keep joints lubricated and strong, too.
Jogging also helps you maintain good balance. Good balance makes you less likely to trip when you’re out jogging, but if you do, it means you’ll regain your balance more easily. Always warm up muscles before jogging too, with some repetitive arm circles and touching of toes and bending sideways.
All runners need recovery time, but if you’re starting out in your 50s, you need a little more. Your legs may feel stiff and a bit achy for a few days after jogging. Listen to your body and don’t lace up your shoes again until it tells you you’re ready to.
Make sure you stretch after every run – this will help to ease post-exercise soreness the next day. Plus, while you are jogging, remember to rehydrate, or I just swish my mouth with water and spit out to the trees on the way. Drink about 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water following your jog. And if the spirit doesn’t move you, you can join a running sisterhood in a Fitbit family along with women, who put running front and center in their journeys toward living well … and keeping age on the back burner.
Dr Marianne Furtado de Nazareth,
Former Asst. Editor, The Deccan Herald, &
Adjunct faculty St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, Bangalore.