A Happier World if Everybody Ran

Delving into the Mizuno study a little further today....

So what if everybody ran? 

Continuing our deeper plunge into the research…..Let’s look at what else researchers found as an effect.

If we estimate the population of the US being around 320 million people and about 300 million are at an age that could possible run (< 5yrs old); it turns out that the CDC has found that only 50% of the adult population achieves the recommended amount of aerobic exercise in any form. That is 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity a week or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity. Of those active people, they found that only about 30 million run more than 50 times per year (at least once a week). So let’s assume that we could add 270 million people who could be converted to running, and this includes 150 million inactive Americans. That’s a lot of people!

What’s the effect? A happier, healthier population! And a smarter one!

How? 

Most runners will tell you that running makes them feel better and more focused. Studies have proven this to be true. It turns out that regular aerobic exercise actually improves memory test by over 20% as well as problem-solving abilities and the ability to learn new vocabulary. Running can improve attention, memory and information processing, anxiety, overall mood, and more. 


In fact, if everyone ran we would have an 83% reduction in anger and overall moods would be improved by 37%.


Imagine a day with 37% more smiles!

That would be a great day!

More next week……..

What If Everyone Ran?

Mizuno launched a study at UNC Business School on the potential impact of a national running movement or essentially they asked the question, "What if everyone ran?" 

Published in March 2014, it has been an internet phenomenon and yet it seems that even though the numbers of runners are increasing; it's not happening at the rate you would expect when reading this report. 

I decided that I will summarize each statistic in my blog to try to influence as many people as I can to start an exercise program. This is not an endorsement of Mizuno, in fact Brooks are my running shoes of choice, but I love what they are doing and I wanted to share.

Hmmm...What if everyone did run?

For those people who are too impatient to wait for my musings each week, click here to read the report.

Here is the executive summary straight from the study:

The analysis suggests that if everyone was a runner there could be:

• $130 billion in health care savings

• $47 billion added to the national GDP

• Nearly 2 billion pounds of total weight loss

• 10 percent increase in household earning potential

• 5 million fewer hospital visits

• Up to 46 percent fewer homeless

• 20 million more great grandmothers

• 7 billion more hours spent outside

• 63 million happier dogs

• 135 million more victory beers

Over the next few weeks we can explore how this is possible.....together.....and then we can discuss it on the run!!!