BODY TALK
THE SCIENCE BEHIND...
Trail Running takes an in-depth look at exactly what happens to your body at every stage of your run, and the multitude of benefits that make every step of the journey worthwhile
Shall I or shan’t I? That’s a question that almost all of us will have faced when you just can’t decide whether putting on your training shoes and going out for a run is really worth the effort. It often seems far easier to stay indoors, particularly if the weather is bad, and curl up in front of the TV or computer, rather than heading outside to face the physical exertion of running.
The key to answering the “shall I or shan’t I” question lies in motivation – over the years, as a sports scientist my personal motivation has come from an understanding of the physical and mental benefits that running brings.
These benefits apply to anyone, regardless of age and ability, so this article sets out to explore what happens to our bodies and minds both during and after a run, and hopefully helps to make “I shall” rather than “I shan’t” the preferred answer to the question of whether you should lace up and get out. But firstly, it’s worth exploring what will happen to your body if you don’t go for a run. Perhaps not surprisingly, not a lot. Your heart rate will remain at around 70 beats per minute, you will continue to expend about three calories of energy per minute, around 12 litres of air will enter your lungs each minute, and your oxygen uptake will be at about three millilitres of oxygen per kilo of body weight. Or, to put it another way, your body will remain sedentary and at rest, and is only called into (slight) action when you move around the house or press the TV remote control. But if you do decide to go for a run – and let’s assume it is a five-mile trail run – the implications for your body and mind are vastly different and way more beneficial than staying indoors.
Getting ready…
Changing into your running gear, and putting on your running shoes, is the first part of the process. You will already be starting to mentally prepare for the run ahead and will soon experience a slight increase in heart rate, adrenalin, and blood flow to the muscles in preparation for the imminent run. This is an inherent “fight or flight” response that we all have, as the body sub-consciously prepares for action, and is the same response that our ancient ancestors had when faced with a predator.
Mile 0-1
The first few strides are often the toughest. Muscle temperature is still low, and the supply of oxygen to the muscles will take time to match the rate at which it is needed to produce energy. For those first few seconds, some energy will be produced anaerobically – without oxygen being present – whic
