How does regular running affect daily learning and energy levels?

[CrunchBerries]

I like keeping a decent amount of km/mile of running per day/week.

Any runners here? How many km/mi per day? Does it help with your daily learning? How so?

 

[whit3r0se-]

Adds structure to your day IMO. Also a common trait runners have is resilience and persistence, mirror that as one of your academic prerequisites and you'll fly!

 

[Drakkith]

Any runners here? How many km/mi per day? Does it help with your daily learning? How so?

I used to run for PT in the Air Force. I can't say it ever helped me with anything though, as I haven't noticed any change in myself since I stopped running regularly.

 

[DiracPool]

Any runners here? How many km/mi per day? Does it help with your daily learning? How so?

When I'm not in a self-pitying self destructive mode, I typically run/jog about 1-2 miles first thing in the morning 4-5 days a week. It's not that I particularly enjoy jogging, but it's something I can do right away when I wake up to kill the funk of morning depression. If you suffer from mild to moderate depression, as I do, mornings are the worst. Ask any junkie and they'll tell you that the morning is the best time to get high just because of that reason. Wake and bake

But I don't do that anymore so I need alternative means. Typically I'll wake up in the morning and pull the covers over my head and bemoan my continued tortured existence on the planet for a spell. But then I'll force myself out of bed and into the kitchen where I'll have half a cup of lowfat yogurt, a small cup of diluted orange juice, a multivitamin/mineral supplement, fish oil capsule, 2 ginko biloba capsules, and a tablespoon of Barleans fresh-pressed flax seed oil, and then I walk strait out the door and start jogging (after a 5 minute walking warm up and stretch). So from the time I roll out of bed until I'm on the street jogging is typically less than 20 minutes. And that's what makes it work. Chase that with a 4-shot iced mocha or Americano and it's instant "funk-be gone."

That "runner's high" will typically last most of the day until I go to the gym at night and do a real workout. This essentially consists of playing basketball for about 20-30 minutes, which I typically do as a warmup for weight training because I hate the treadmill or elliptical machines, and lap swimming. However, since I broke my wrist recently, I can't swim nor do any weight training, plus I had to quit my Taekwondo class, so all I can do now is walk/run around the track at the YMCA like the old timer mall walkers until my wrist heels.

But to answer your initial question, yes, I definitely think it helps with "daily learning" insofar as I get amped up after my morning jog and coffee chaser and seem to get a lot more work done than when I'm lazy and don't jog.

 

[Drakkith]

But then I'll force myself out of bed and into the kitchen where I'll have half a cup of lowfat yogurt, a small cup of diluted orange juice, a multivitamin/mineral supplement, fish oil capsule, 2 ginko biloba capsules, and a tablespoon of Barleans fresh-pressed flax seed oil, and then I walk strait out the door and start jogging (after a 5 minute walking warm up and stretch).

Your breakfast makes me cry.
Although, now that I think about it, I usually don't even have one...

 

[DiracPool]

Although, now that I think about it, I usually don't even have one...

That's why I do the yogurt, it's quick and easy and can get you through till lunch. I got this trick from the "Zone" diet. Remember this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060391502/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I'm not the kind of guy to put any effort into cooking (or actually anything) early in the morning but to eat nothing at will catch up with you within a couple hours. So spooning out some yogurt onto a plate and chasing down with some OJ to tide you over until lunch has been a workable solution for me over the years.

 

[CrunchBerries]

Thanks for replies. Depression is a good point. Starting the day depressed is horrible for motivation. We all know how much motivation is important for someone going to school or self studying physics/math..

I just got a nice pair of runners, getting a sport watch for fathers day and going to start a solid running routine this summer.

I also enrolled in an online calc 1 course, and planning to do calc1 -> phys 1 -> calc2 -> phys 2 over the next year. Phys is calc based and courses are at athabasca university.

Im very excited.

So i guess 3 mi runs 3 times a week should work decently. With a focused cooldown.

Im 33, married with 3 kids. Its going to be a challenge lol..

 

[JorisL]

I should run. But when I get busy its the first thing to go :(

Haven't been for two weeks now with writing a thesis and trying to make a good presentation.
When I have time I go 2 or 3 times a week for 4-5 km.

 

[MarneMath]

I run often. I generally run 3-5 miles three times a week on weekdays and on Saturday and Sunday I go for 10-12. It's a bit easier with one real leg and one blade. :D

 

[Tosh5457]

12-15 km a week, usually run 2 times a week. If I don't run for a long time I feel that a jog helps a lot alleviating stress, but regularly I don't notice it. It gives you a lot of physical resistance though, so you'll be less tired every day.

 

[Choppy]

I'm currently working on a 15 km loop with two rather large hills that I try to do once a week. My personal record is 14.4 km in 1:21. I've had to change the loop due to construction though, which has slowed my times because of the added distance and it's turned one of the longer slower declines into a shorter steeper one where I have to slow down to run under control.

I've found exercise a massive help, both when I was a student and now during my professional career. I've always exercised in one form or another, but tend to have a lot more focus when I'm exercising more.

 

[Mondayman]

Try to get in a decent run 3-4 times a week. No set distance, usually in the 2.5-5km range at a pace fast enough to keep your heart going and sweat pouring. Atleast once a week I'll do 100m sprints, or fartlek training. I'll tack on a quick workout consisting of nothing more than pushups, pullups, and planks afterwards. Nothing serious, just enough to keep the body in shape.

I find I concentrate better after exercising, and sleep much much better if I have physically exerted myself during the day. Plus, you just feel better after a solid run/workout.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

I try to run a couple of times a week, usually just a few miles, but every so ofter I'll run ten or so.

 

[mister mishka]

I run 4km every 3 days, and sprint at the end of every run to get my heart rate maxed. Other then that i do sit ups and push ups, and sometimes hang ups (if i can find a bar i can hang from). Plus i eat relatively healthy, but yeah this all helps a lot with my mood and stamina through out the day and also long term. I just can't get away with not doing physical exercise and eating junk food anymore, maybe I'm too old now and my body / mind just won't accept that crap. I am only 27 now, but I definitely feel like I don't have the same energy / flexibility as when I was in the military 8 years ago. So it is more like just what I have to do, to keep the "engine" well maintained and running smoothly for the years ahead..

 

[CynicusRex]

I try to run two cooper tests each week and one run of 6 km. It keeps my energy level up, no doubt. Any sport which breaks a sweat will.

Just in case, a cooper test is running as far as possible in 12 minutes. Some say it's too little time to improve my running. But I can confidently say they are wrong.