Nothing beats running as a high-value exercise. It costs little, requires minimal training and offers social benefits. In business, we’d characterize running as a great value proposition considering its return on our health relative to personal investment.
As a country, this return is prompting more and more people to start running. Reports peg the number of Americans who ran or jogged in 2024 at about 50 million, or 15% of the population. That’s a 5.7% increase over the prior year and indicative of this upward trend.
Beyond the health benefits, running offers a unique social dimension that many have parlayed into new friendships and, in some cases, romantic opportunities. Running clubs continue to attract a broad demographic, including people 50 and older. The combination of a good run with some great after-parties has created a worldwide phenomenon.
And when it comes to marathons and the full spectrum of races, fall is prime time. It offers a host of runs, like the Philadelphia Marathon and one of the most distinctive races in the Philly — the Cooper Norcross Run The Bridge 10K, an interstate jaunt that crosses the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It’s one that I’ve run many times.
Completing the picture for those who may be intrigued by the prospect of outdoor aerobic exercise on a fall day is the motivation that comes from supporting a worthy cause. You see, many of the races are fundraising activities that support schools and charities.
Knowing that your registration helps people in need can be an incredible inspiration and further reason to lace up your sneakers. Yes, with health and social benefits, a robust selection of regional race distances, and the knowledge that you’re supporting a good cause, fall is a great time to get off the couch and start moving.
Health benefits of running
According to research published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, “runners have a 25%-40% reduced risk of premature mortality and live approximately 3 years longer than non-runners.”
Running is one of the best ways to keep fit, and it offers many benefits. It increases good cholesterol, improves lung function, boosts the immune system and lowers the risk of developing blood clots. It also leads to better sleep, helps maintain proper blood pressure, helps guard against depression and burns calories.
Not bad for a physical activity that’s economic and can fit into your schedule.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults strive for at least 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Running, or jogging, is a way to meet that recommendation. Breaking the time into smaller chunks is perfectly acceptable, and probably more feasible. Fifteen minutes a day, five days a week is common practice.
What does vigorous intensity feel like? The CDC says that “you’re breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate is higher than with moderate activity. You won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.”
Is there a downside?
A report from Harvard Medical School endorses the benefits of running, but cautions beginners, and middle-aged and older people with a higher risk for heart disease.
According to Dr. Neal Lakdawala, an avid runner and a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, beginners who take on too much too soon risk injury. People with heart disease or risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol and who may be sedentary should check with a doctors before they start running.
Still, Dr. Lakdawlala concludes that “a low frequency of adverse heart-related events in runners, and overall, the health benefits of running outweigh the risks.”
Why the Bridge Run is unique
The Run The Bridge 10K, held the first Sunday in November, has become a major force in the Philly region’s fall race portfolio. The race is in its 28th year supporting the Larc Norcross School in Bellmawr, New Jersey.
As a member of the leadership team at Cooper University Health Care, one of the race’s sponsors, I’ve represented Cooper in the pre-race ceremonies for the last 15 years and run many of those years. I’ve witnessed the enthusiasm of runners and walkers, which have reached 2,000 in some years. From a modest start in 1997 as a 5K near the school, the race moved to the Ben Franklin Bridge in 2002 and has grown into the region’s premier 10K.
What I’ve always found so interesting about the Bridge Run is the deceptive slope of the span 135 feet above the Delaware River. When you drive over the “Ben,” the incline heading toward the middle seems rather gradual and nothing distinctive. Running is a different matter. That gradual slope in your car feels like Mt. Everest when you’re on foot. It’s certainly surmountable, and a great motivator during the run. It’s a unique aspect that helps make the run so much fun.
Also, as one who has highlighted the importance of finding motivation to drive healthy behavior, the Bridge Run offers a case study in the power of purpose. That’s because the race benefits the Larc School, which educates children 3 to 21 with severe disabilities. Most students are non-ambulatory, suffer from seizure disorders and have complex medical needs that extend beyond the capabilities of school districts to manage.
The Larc School offers hope and a well-developed program at no cost to families. Students attending the race serve as reminders of the purpose behind the run and a powerful motivator. Just looking into the eyes of these kids triggers an emotional force in my gut.
A reason to run
The science is strong. Running, whether it’s a 5K, 10K, marathon or a slow jog around the block, offers great benefits to your health. These benefits extend to all ages and genders — including 50-plus men. It’s a relatively low-cost form of physical activity that’s easy to adopt with added social opportunities. When you couple these benefits with the purpose behind many of these races, running offers a great way to achieve the goal of health and happiness — a great value proposition.
See you at the Ben on Nov. 2.
Disclosure: PhillyVoice founder and Chairwoman Lexie Norcross sits on The Larc Norcross School’s board of directors. The school was renamed after her family last fall. The Norcross family has been involved with the school for more than 40 years.
Louis Bezich, senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Cooper University Health Care, is author of “Crack The Code: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50.” Read more from Louis on his website.