Curious facts about running that you didn’t know yet –

It’s no secret that we at are big fans of race. In addition to burning a lot of calories, running relieves stress, helps build muscle, is great for heart health, and is good for the mind. Not to mention how democratic the sport is – all you need is a pair of sneakers and a dose of motivation to hit the asphalt.

Getting to know the modality better (including its peculiarities and curiosities) has made us even more passionate. Check out some facts you probably didn’t know:

The sport has been growing on national soil

We are still far from being the country of running, but the Brazilian amateur runners increase every year. A study carried out by the Spanish consultancy Relevance points out that, in the last five years, the number of test participants has grown by 50% here. During that time, in São Paulo alone, there was a 45% increase in the number of races authorized by CET (Traffic Engineering Company).

The distances covered by us have also increased: in 2016, 19,942 people completed the 42K on Brazilian soil, 4,642 participants more than in 2015, sAccording to a survey carried out by the author of the Blog visited, Danilo Balu, Bachelor of Sports at USP (University of São Paulo).

See also: Boost your running to dry, tone and run better

You’re faster when you’re in your 20s

During a marathon, at least! Researchers who analyzed the ages and arrival times of runners in the Marathon New York City surveys for the years 2010 and 2011 found that women run the 42.195 kilometers at a faster speed at age 29 and men at age 27. Time was 4% slower for each year less than these ages, and 2% slower for each additional year – which means an 18-year-old marathoner runs approximately as fast as a 60-year-old.

Your breasts move more than you think

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth, England, found that the breasts not only do they move up and down as they run, they also move side to side and in and out, creating a complex pattern of movement called breast displacement. The problem: it can lead to premature sagging! Therefore, it is important to wear a bra that is correct for your size, shape and exercise intensity.

Plus: Why you should sign up for an all-female race

Your heart grows stronger

As you run, the organ increases in size and strength, pumping out more volume with each beat. Believe it or not: during exercise, there is enough pressure to squirt blood up to almost 1 meter away.

Older women have already proven that it is possible to complete marathons

A woman The oldest person to cross the finish line of a 42K event was the American Gladys Burrill, who, aged 92, ran the Honolulu Marathon, USA, in 2010. The record holder among men was the Indian Fauja Singh, who completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in Canada in 2012, when he was 100 years.