By Dr. Aaron Case BSc, DC (December 2006)
Try to fit in frequent short runs this holiday season. Don’t fret about gaining some extra pounds because it might even help your running.
Why? Two main reasons:
1) Increased strength and speed
Running with a couple of extra pounds during and after the holidays should give your legs more strength and speed after you take off the minor weight gain in January. In addition, you will have added to your aerobic (fat burning) base with the frequent runs.
2) 24 hour effect
The benefits of a run, including cholesterol levels, blood triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, metabolic regulation etc., typically last about 24 hours following a run. Therefore, more frequent runs may actually improve your cardiovascular health despite the small increase in weight (fat) gain.
