Studies find slow runners live longer than those who go hard

Many think you need to go hard and fast to get the most out of your workout, but a new study has proven that runners who take it slower actually end up living longer.

Hmm… haven’t we heard this story before? It turns out there’s more truth to the tale of the tortoise and the hare than we originally thought.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at the data of over 1,000 joggers and 4,000 non-joggers, all of which were healthy men and women from a range of age groups.

After ten years, the researchers analysed the information and divided the subjects into three key groups: light, moderate and strenuous joggers.

Unsurprisingly, they found that joggers had a higher life expectancy to non-joggers, but in news that might shock you; they discovered that light joggers actually had the lowest rate of mortality, which was followed by moderate joggers.

Shockingly, the strenuous jogger group tied for third place with the non-joggers.

So what should I be doing?

From the data collected, the scientists and fitness professionals could conclude that joggers who truly want to get the most out of their runs should hit the pavement two to three times a week at a slow pace, covering a distance of only 1.6km – 3.8km.

Sounds easy enough!

But what if you hate jogging?

Well there’s good news for the jogging haters too (guilty), as a separate study also found walking to be a fabulous, low-impact alternative.

Over six years, researchers collected the data of around 33,000 runners and 16,000 walkers.

Over time, both groups experienced a decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure and cholesterol, with the walkers’ risk slightly lower in all categories.

Now we’re talking!

Pro tip

Trainer to the stars Harley Pasternak suggests investing in a fit bit and aiming for at least 10, 000 steps a day. “If you’re ready to give yourself a little challenge, take a walk and mix in short bouts of jogging. It can boost your calorie burn and give you much needed cardiovascular benefits,” he tells People.

Watch Taylor Swift show us how it’s done in the video player below!