We all know that the benefits of exercise have a great impact on overall health and longevity. However as a runner, I found this recent research of particular interest. Researchers at Stanford University showed that individuals who continue to run as they get older had fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and were half as likely to die early.

The 20 year study showed that running reduced not only the risk of heart disease, but also cancer and neurological diseases such Alzheimer’s. One of the researchers put it in simple terms, “19 years into the study 34% of the non-runners had died compared to only 15% of the runners”. That is definitely motivation to exercise regularly.

The researchers concluded that the benefits of running were largely due to the vigourous intensity exercise that the runners experienced on a regular basis. Many of us get low and moderate intensity activity on a regular basis through incidental exercise such as walking, however continuing to maintain the vigourous activity throughout our lives is very important.