Running offers a lot of benefits to the body especially if it is done regularly. It is a great cardio workout and at the same time can be a good way to unwind and appreciate nature if you are running outdoors. But there have been many misconceptions and other things about running that most people are unaware of. So here are some of the common misconceptions people have and let’s see if there’s a truth in it.
Perform only gentle warm ups – This is actually not so true. It is much better if you do proper warm up before you run. Researchers at University of Aberystwyth found that runners who had the faster times in 10k races are the ones who did a strenuous warm-up. The reason is warm-ups can stimulate your body to put to work more muscle fibers that will in turn be ready for use in your run. It is recommended that a good warm up 10 minutes before your race is to run for at least a mile using 75-80% of your effort.
You can burn more fats if you run before breakfast – Many people think that you can burn more calories if you run on an empty stomach because there’s no food to be burned. However, sports nutrition expert Karen Reid said that exercising burns the same amount of calories regardless of the time you do it. It will just depend now on how much calorie you will take the rest of the day. There is also a downside to running in the morning, because this is the time where most people are at risk of having a heart attack while exercising.
Runners can boost their run with a cup of coffee – yes we all know that a cup of espresso can be the best fix for a hung-over in the morning, but many didn’t know that it can also give you extra boost in your runs. A study at Birmingham University showed that endurance can be enhanced by 26% by drinking a cup of coffee before a long run. Researchers said that you don’t necessarily have to drink a lot of coffee just to get that effect; according to them even just a cup of strong coffee would give you the maximum effect. There are some top runners who are actually sucking coffee beans while running.
