Running vs. Walking: Study Finds Picking Up The Pace Adds Health Benefits

Walking is rightfully lauded as an accessible, enjoyable activity with proven health benefits. But science shows that making even part of your regular walk a jog or run delivers advantages in less time. While both provide a path to fitness, running edges out walking for improving cardiovascular health and longevity based on key research. With a thoughtful progression, it’s possible to transition gradually from walking to running within two months or less.

It’s simple why walking is so popular worldwide – it requires no equipment except shoes and can be done almost anywhere. Studies confirm walking helps lower anxiety, depression, diabetes and cancer risk. The key is that it qualifies as moderate aerobic activity, raising your breathing and heart rate enough to boost fitness.

As the body adapts, greater intensity provides more dramatic conditioning. This is where running pulls ahead, said physiologist Alyssa Olenick. The additional speed requires more power and energy than walking. But the defining difference is running’s airborne intervals between strides compared to walking’s constant contact. This distinction makes running more physiologically taxing at any pace.

Federal guidelines advocate 150-300 minutes per week of moderate activity like brisk walking, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise like running. But research into longevity, the ultimate health metric, suggests running may confer even greater advantages.

A 2011 study of over 400,000 adults in Taiwan linked regular short runs to the same lower mortality as much longer walks. Runs of just 5 minutes provided comparable life span benefits to 15-minute walks. This indicates running’s superior metabolic payoff compared to walking.

In another study, regular runners had 30% higher cardiovascular fitness and lived up to 30% longer than non-exercisers. The boost occurred even at slow jogging paces under 6 mph. While the two activities represent a continuum, adding vigorous running minutes enhances benefits.

Running does raise injury likelihood compared to lower-impact walking. But a smart progression in building mileage and speed prevents most problems. Gradually going from walking to running over 2 months allows the body to adapt. Even seasoned runners should ease back into it after a layoff. Here is a safe beginner sequence:

1. Boost daily steps and mild walking first. Over a month, go from sedentary to 30 minutes of brisk walking several days a week.
2. Add run intervals. After establishing a base, mix 1-minute jogging intervals into brisk walks.
3. Lengthen running duration. Increase jogging minutes and decrease walking intervals weekly.
4. Try continuous running. Within a month or two, you can likely run continuously for 20-30 minutes.

Along with patience, vary workouts between moderate and vigorous efforts. Consistency matters most, but vigorous days spur greater gains. Mix walking, running, hills and strength training. Check with your doctor before ramping up if you have heart disease or related conditions.

In the end, walking and running offer overlapping benefits on the fitness-to-longevity spectrum. But science suggests runners gain cardiovascular resilience faster, possibly adding years to life versus walking alone. A thoughtful buildup prevents injury.

Once conditioned for continuous running, aim for 20-30 minutes 3-4 times weekly. Stay receptive to new research, but current evidence favors lacing up your shoes and at least periodically picking up the pace. Move safely within your limits, but there are sound motives to incorporate running’s high-intensity rewards into your routine.