Health/why slow running could be even more beneficial than running fast?

Sky World News/ Why slow running could be even more beneficial than running fast

For many runners, going fast is the whole point of pulling on their kit. But recently, the opposite approach has been booming: the slow-running movement, in which people meet for social, unhurried jaunts. This might be fun, but surely if there’s no pain, there’s no gain?

Not so fast, says a growing body of research. In fact, going at a more leisurely pace can bring a range of health benefits, from heart function to mental well-being, while avoiding the downsides of pushing your body to the max. It might even help you live longer – and, ironically, ultimately improve your personal best.

But the unhurried pace of slow running means it can provide things that high-intensity exercise doesn’t. The speed at which you run affects what your body uses as fuel. If you are taking it slowly, your body can use aerobic metabolism, which depends on a good supply of oxygen from your lungs. This means you break down stored fat to supply most of your energy. “If I want to burn fat, then running slower is best,” says Haake. At high energy intensities, when you are gasping for breath, the body flips to anaerobic processes and mainly breaks down carbohydrates and protein.

By metabolising fats better, zone 2 training can help us manage weight and insulin levels, says Robinson. Slower jogging can also help our cardiovascular system operate more efficiently, she says, by encouraging the heart muscle to develop, increasing the amount of blood it can pump, reducing resting heart rate and cutting blood pressure and cardiac stress.