3 Reasons Why Running Slower Is Good For You

1. It aids capillary growth

Capillaries - the smallest of the body’s blood vessels - serve two important functions: they supply blood and oxygen to various parts of the body, and they collect and remove carbon dioxide waste materials. Slow running aids in the growth and density of capillaries, resulting in the creation of more oxygen. This means oxygen can be transported to your exercising muscles quicker, making you more physiologically efficient.

2. It aids mitochondria growth

Also making you more physiologically efficient is the growth of more and larger mitochondria in your cells, which slow running promotes. Mitochondria are considered “the powerhouse of the cell”, and their main function is to convert the energy in fat and glycogen into an energy source for your body when you exercise.

3. It aids fat adaptation

The more intense the activity your body participates in, the more your body uses up the blood sugar that’s circulating. After a while, your body starts using glycogen - the stored form of sugar. When this runs out, you’re likely to “hit the wall”, a term that refers to the sudden fatigue and loss of energy caused by the depletion of glycogen. Low-intensity exercise like slow running uses fat as fuel instead. The more your body becomes accustomed to slow running, the more it will use fat more efficiently, rather than glycogen.

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