Running 5 to 10 minutes a day: a small effort, a big benefit

The best training is not the longest: it is the one you actually do.

"I don't have time": it is the number one excuse for not running. What if a few minutes were already enough to make a difference to your health?

What the study says

In 2014, a team of American researchers followed more than 55,000 adults who came for a health check-up at a centre in Dallas for around fifteen years. Participants reported whether they ran, for how long and at what pace.

The result: runners had on average a risk of death about 30% lower than non-runners, and a risk of death from cardiovascular disease about 45% lower. The researchers estimated that runners lived on average about three years longer.

Most surprising of all: this benefit appeared from just 5 to 10 minutes of running a day, even at a slow pace, below 10 km/h. Running much longer or much faster did not bring a significantly greater gain on this measure. On the other hand, those who ran regularly over several years benefited the most.

What to take away… and what not to

This is an observational study: it shows an association, not proof that running is the only cause of the difference. Runners may also have other healthy habits (diet, not smoking, sleep). But this result echoes a great deal of other research: a little activity is far better than none, and regularity is what matters most.

How to benefit from it this week

• Start small: 10 minutes alternating walking and running, three times a week. Then gradually extend.
• Keep a comfortable pace: you should be able to talk while running.
• Attach running to a fixed moment in your day: before breakfast, at lunchtime, when you get home from work.
• Count brisk walking too on non-running days: the World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults.

If you are taking up sport after a long break, are over 40 or have a health problem (heart, blood pressure, diabetes…), check with your doctor first.

In short

You do not need to run for hours to look after your health. A few minutes, often, and for a long time: that is the recipe science suggests.

Sources

• Lee D.-C. et al., "Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk", Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2014. See on PubMed
• World Health Organization, guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, 2020, who.int.
• Article that gave us the idea: Le Figaro, "Cinq minutes de course par jour font gagner trois ans de vie", 2014.