Fitness

When it comes to lacing up your first pair of running shoes, there’s no single “right” age; What matters more is matching the type and amount of running to the stage of life you’re in. Kids as young as five can benefit from playful, short‑burst running that builds coordination and confidence; in adolescence, structured but moderate mileage paired with strength work protects growing bones and encourages lifelong habits. Adults often discover running in their twenties or thirties as an efficient stress‑buster and fitness tool, while masters runners in their fifties, sixties, and beyond prove that consistency and smart recovery trump birthdates, studies show aerobic capacity and even race times can keep improving well into the seventh decade with thoughtful training. In short, whether you’re guiding a child through fun runs or picking up the sport after retirement, the best age to start running is simply the age you are right now, provided you listen to your body, progress gradually, and keep the joy of movement front and center.

Running is one of the few habits that upgrades nearly every system in your body at once. With each stride you’re training your heart to pump more efficiently, sweeping fresh oxygen through your lungs, and challenging muscles and joints so they grow stronger and more resilient. Scientists now see those miles etched at the cellular level too: regular runners tend to have longer telomeres, a sign their cells are ageing more slowly, and studies show just a couple of hours of steady jogging a week can slash cardiovascular‑death risk. Yet the gains aren’t merely physical—running lights up the brain’s reward circuitry, flooding you with endorphins and endocannabinoids that dial down stress, lift mood, and sharpen memory, benefits that accumulate into healthier cognition as the years pass. Factor in steadier blood‑sugar control and a tougher immune system, and running stands out as an extraordinarily efficient prescription for a longer, livelier life.