A request

As you know English is not my first language. I have always loved the language from the time I learned the first words in primary school which eventually led me to study English (&Biology) at university. On Thursday I need to hand in an essay I wrote about the benefits of running. So here's my request: Could you maybe read my essay and comment on/ correct the mistakes? I would be very thankful.
Here it is:


The Benefits of Running

Mankind started walking and running four to six million years ago when we rose from all four which proved to be tremendously faster than any other kind movement. Long distance running first became known when a Greek messenger ran 42, 195 kilometers from Marathon to Sparta delivering the news of the Persian landing at Marathon which became a legend and inspired people to run this distance as fast as possible. The first official competitive marathon was run in the Olympic Games in 1896 (Weil 2007:1). Nowadays, running is the most popular form of exercise. But why do so many people put on their running gear after a long and stressful day at work instead of simply sitting down on the couch in front of the TV? It is because they hope to profit from the numerous benefits running offers like increased health, positive psychological effects as well as the gain of positive character traits like perseverance and patience.

Running is the perfect workout to train your body and to improve your health at the same time. First of all, it helps to manage and reduce weight since it burns more calories per minute than any other form of exercise plus it slows down the aging process as it enhances the production of hormones which help to stay young. By challenging the body the muscles are strengthened instead of losing their tone as they respond to the physical demand. Hence, runners seldom suffer from osteoporosis. But you are not only working out to improve your physical appearance, but also the overall function of your body. Running reduces the risk of a heart attack considerably by strengthening the heart and lowering the blood pressure. The heart of an inactive person beats 36,000 times more than that of a runner which shows that a runner’s heart also works more effectively (Luff 2011). Yet, serious runners often run beyond the amount of distance that benefits health as they become addicted to the exhilaration caused by running. Nevertheless, the addiction to this kind of drug keeps them from becoming addicted to other drugs or alcohol.

Even though the benefits for your health are the strongest advantages of engaging in long distance running, the psychological benefits caused by running are no less important. Runners report being happier and less stressed than people who do not exercise regularly. Running builds up confidence in yourself which results from the knowledge that the body is strong and capable of facing physical challenges. When the run is challenging, the individual experiences a sense of accomplishment which takes the mind away from negative stressors to a feeling of accomplishment and pride. Additionally, the described reduction of weight lets you gain a better self- image. Most important, it reduces stress since the mind is focused on the task ahead when running instead of being stressed about work or family. Hence, it is not surprising that running is used for the treatment of clinical depression and addiction (McLeod Sadler 2009).

Moreover, running teaches you to set a goal and work hard for it. Thus, running teaches patience and perseverance which are essential character traits in every aspect of your life. By running hard one teaches oneself that giving up is not an option and the momentary pain or unease will pass but defeat lasts forever. As Lance Armstrong wrote in his book: “The mind has to control the body. Never let the mind tell the body what to do.” (Armstrong 2000: 126). If you have gained the increase of willpower on the running path, you can transfer it to life in general. Hence, a runner might be more capable to solve problems at his job which makes him a better employee and stronger person in his everyday life.

Considering the advantages for your health, the psychological effects plus the gain of the important character traits perseverance and patience which can be achieved by running it is not surprising that so many people go for a run after a long and stressful day at work. Hence, the trend of being active in order to do something for the mind and body will only increase in the years to come as health problems like obesity become more apparent to the public eye and mankind rediscovers the importance for a healthy lifestyle which leads us back to our roots.