Stress and Running

     Personally, I picked up the sport of running to relieve stress and anger. I don't display emotions the way most teenage girls might, and I needed an outlet. When I get/got angry, I figured who better to beat up than myself? Why not kick my own butt? So I put on some shoes and began running loops around my neighborhood, sprinting up giant hills until I couldn't breathe. And when I came back home a few miles later, I was absolutely wonderful with no worries in the world.

     As life continuously beats down upon a human being, we find ways to cope with the amount of stress thrust upon us. I believe that I am lucky that I have found exercise as my outlet to dealing with problems, and anyone can.

     Studies have shown that running can help relieve stress, worries, and anger. The actual sport itself is half mental, which kind of distracts you from things as well as gives you a peaceful sanctuary within your mind to sort things out and figure out how to cope with something.

      According to Jim Affremow, writer of The Champions Mind, running with too much stress can actually hinder your performance and increase your risk of injury. "Running is a favorite stress buster, but it's your stress level that can put you at risk if not manage properly," He says.

      Humans have a stress hormone called cortisol. While this chemical can do the runner some excellent assistance, too much of it can become a bad thing (like too much of any good thing can do), and that's when you need to consider your consequences, whether you want to run or not.

      Too much of cortisol can cause your bone density harm and you'll tense up a bit. If this happens, you'll be running stiff (we all have) and you could strain a muscle or joint, which is not exactly needed when you're already stressed. And if you're already stressed, you may not noticed the effects running improperly can be having on your body. You may not even notice that an injury is there and could only make it worse.

     There's always the option of cross training, such as a bike or elliptical, but let's face it: nothing beats a nice run when you have built up emotion. Sitting on a bike pedaling is in no way the same to feeling the ground beneath your feet with every step.