Brian Castro

Matt Wilson
Section 2000

WP2
Today, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause for premature death, the obesity
epidemic has no end in sight, and type 2 diabetes is becoming more prevalent. These illnesses are
self-induced, preventable, but most importantly, deadly. However, there is a simple solution:
exercise. Exercise, specifically running/jogging, can not only help one live a longer, healthier life
but can also lead to more benefits. Since it is so beneficial, running should be adopted by society
as a common part of everyday life. The peer-reviewed article, The Psychological benefits of
recreational running: A field study by Attila Szabo and Julia Abraham provides a detailed
explanation to the scientific community of the psychological benefits associated with running.
Additionally, the book Marathon Japan distance racing and Civic culture by Thomas R.H.
Havens, informs the reader of the positive effects it has had on Japans culture. Although both
pieces of writing belong to their respective disciplines, the ideals of each play an important role
in the exposure of different audiences to the gift of running to benefit society.
The Psychological benefits of recreational running: A field study belongs to the
discipline of Psychology, meaning that it views running through the lens of someone familiar
with the workings of the brain. Psychology is a scientific discipline that explores running in a
more technical sense than Marathon Japan by Thomas R.H. Havens. Instead of stating
running can result in a happy mood the article writes, there is also evidence showing that
exercise stimulates dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenergic activity in the central nervous

system (Meeusen & De, 1995), which means the same thing but with diction from the
discipline. The discipline of Psychology uses its diction to prevent individuals with weak
scientific backgrounds from understanding what is being proposed and researched in the
experiment. Only members of the scientific community can provide input and analyze the
conclusions drawn from the articles experimentation methods to foster discussion that could
lead to future discoveries about more benefits that pertain to running.
Members of the discourse community value accuracy and precise detail because Experts
analyze every aspect of the experiment to see if the claims being made. For example, A total of
50 runners (37 males 13 females) (pg.3) is used to describe the test group. Further depth is
provided when the article states that the participants mean age was 29.02. (pg. 3) Additionally,
All statistical calculations were carried out with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) software, version 17 provides a thorough description of the methods used during the
experiment. Details are used because they are key elements that allow for the experiment to be
easily replicable. If the same conclusion can be drawn after successive recreations, the claims
made by the article are accepted by the scientific community as fact and later published in
simpler language for the public. The data from the article provides factual evidence that running
has a direct correlation with positive mental health which is useful in convincing more logic
based readers that the claims being made are true.
The peer reviewed article, The Psychological benefits of recreational running: A field
study reaches the conclusion that running for longer periods of time and at higher intensities
does not yield additional stress relief for ones mind. The article states that the results lack of
connection between speed of running and changes in four measures of affect, add to the mounting
evidence that pace or workload is unimportant in disclosing positive changes in affect after exercise.

(pg.7) This means that during times of psychological distress, a quick jog for fifteen minutes will

relieve the same amount of stress as an hour long run at a faster pace. The use of data and
analysis is used to conclude that running can therefore be used as an escape to calm ones mind
in turn helping ones mental health without requiring much time to be set aside.
The monograph, Marathon Japan, by Thomas R.H Havens, thoroughly explains the
growth of popularity for running in Japan and the development of running as one of Japans most
popular pastimes. It belongs to the discipline of history which uses historical events and
quotations from athletes as evidence. The book uses specific historical examples and events to
piece together the complete history of running in Japan starting around the Edo Period (16001868) up until present day.
Unlike Psychology which uses scientific experimentation as evidence, the historical
evidence used by the discipline of History also effectively by using different cultures as a model
to represent the potential benefits that the U.S is neglecting. Havens quotes Japanese elite athlete
Takahashi Naoko, from the year 2007, saying that, running went from a [temporary] boom to
becoming a [permanent] part of the culture. (p.1) Runnings popularity skyrocketed to the point
that events like the Nagano Marathon had crowds of over 100,000 people cheering throughout
the course. Participation was high as well. Havens states that, only 10,000 [runners] are given
entry because of space restriction (p.143) and that many fill up right away and use lotteries to
manage entries. (p. 141) For reference, Japan has a population of roughly 127 million people,
less than half of that of the U.S., yet still at least as many athletes complete marathons in Japan
each year as do runners in the United states. (pg. 142) He reasons that participation was so high
because of the positive reputation that running established over the years along with reasons like
fitness, body image, stress reduction, and self-esteem.

Marathon Japan explains how, through sport, a sense of unity among the country was
created. Havens quotes Arata Fujiwara, champion marathoner, to show an athletes point of view
on the effect running was having on the people of Japan. Fujiwara stated, The Tokyo Marathon
made Japanese people aware that, independent of winning or losing, everyone has their own
race. (pg.141) By creating the goal of self-improvement, runners are united by their desire to
transcend their limits and encourage one another to do their best. Encouragement fosters a
positive environment among runners that allows them to reach their goals more easily.
Furthermore, Havens mentions Olympic athlete, Tanaguchi Hiromi, and how he was the winner
of Japans first gold medal in the marathon at the 1991 world championships (p. 26) to show the
significance of the moment for the country. Prior to that event, running was popular but its the
success in the area that sparked further attention and led to the participation of more athletes.
Specifically, a great popularity in distance running among women in the 1990s and after arose.
This shows how successes in running not only brought pride to the country, but also encouraged
others to engage in a healthier pastime.
In conclusion, running is the key to a healthier country. The disciplines of psychology
and history both provide their own forms of evidence to prove running is beneficial, yet people
still do not comply. Citizens of the United States should learn from the people of Japan and
integrate running into U.S. culture for the sake of a healthier, more relaxed society.

Works cited

Havens, Thomas R.H. Marathon Japan. N.p.: U of Hawai'i, 2015. Print.

Szabo, Atilla, and JUlia Abraham. "The Psychological Benefits of Recreational Running: A
Field Study." Institute for Health Promotion and Sports Sciences, Eotvos Lorand University,
Budapest, Hungary, 7 June 2012. Web.