ADVERTORIAL
Ramp Your Way Up to Better Fitness with the Vitality Run Series
Beginning a journey towards fitness isn ’ t just about breaking a sweat – it ’ s about igniting your passion , propelling you towards a lifestyle filled with energy and purpose . One way to do this is to incorporate race events into your fitness routine . The Vitality Run Series is one of the many race events people can take part . It ’ s not just about crossing the finish line ; it ’ s about embracing a lifestyle where every stride fuels your passion for physical activity , eventually leading to a habit of regular physical activity .
Training for a fitness event , like those of the Vitality Run Series , is a great way to keep up or even start good fitness habits . Plus , you ’ ll also have the chance to have a lot of fun and interact with other walkers or runners . The data backs this up : Vitality Global , in collaboration with the London School of Economics , recently released a study on habit formation . This study revealed that forming a habit to stay active prolongs your life . The research also finds that when you ’ re inactive and start walking at least 5000 steps three times a week for two years , it can add up to three years to your life expectancy .
“ At Discovery Vitality , we want to motivate people at all fitness levels to get moving more regularly , so they can experience the physical and mental health benefits associated with regular physical activity ,” says Dr Mosima Mabunda , Head of Wellness at Vitality . “ From incentivising members to participate in weekly parkrun events across the country ( where both Vitality and non-Vitality members can participate ) to timed race events such as the Vitality Run Series – it ’ s all about motivating individuals and communities to take advantage of the many exciting opportunities they have to become progressively healthier .” Take care : Set goals based on where you are in your activity and fitness level . Diving into intense activity too quickly can demotivate you to keep up the activity , or can lead to injuries .
“ It ’ s always best to increase your training load gradually . Getting fitter happens when you have developed a habit to train regularly . We have found that slowly increasing the duration and intensity at which you exercise is key to boosting your cardiorespiratory fitness , measured as VO 2 max ,” says Dr Mabunda . “ If you want to set fitness goals that build your fitness levels steadily , the yearlong Vitality Run Series is a perfect way to do so in 2024 . So , take a look at the calendar and plan ahead to take part in a Vitality Run Series event near you .”
What is the Vitality Run Series ?
The Vitality Run Series includes a total of 17 events across the country , all of which are open to the public . This set of running events promotes better health through exercise and social interaction . Held in the Gauteng , KwaZulu- Natal , Western Cape , and Eastern Cape , these events have become hugely popular among the national running community , and are also attracting more newcomers to the sport .
Dr Mabunda says , “ Anyone can join in , and there are different distances to choose from . So , people of all fitness levels can challenge themselves throughout the year . You can either gradually increase the distance you run , or aim to beat your previous times on the same distances .”
6 ISSUE 167 | www . modernathlete . co . za