Pat Flynn does it. Barack Obama has a tumblr page dedicated to it and Oprah has even been known to dabble.

They know the secret to running a successful business and it’s not just dominant thought, connections and amazing sales copy.

You can mastermind all you like and have the best social media presence in the world, but if you want to stay on top of your A game, you need to look after number one.

Running, whether it’s for just 15 minutes a day or endurance training for a marathon, will give you more benefits than you think.

What Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Running

Here are three benefits from running that all business owners, especially those pursuing a degree in sports business, will want to experience and it’s as easy as getting out the door, even if you don’t have a .

Improve your focus

Several studies have shown that when participants take part in physical exercise their frontal cortex is stimulated.

The frontal cortex is responsible for higher-level thinking. It allows us to reason, make judgments, make plans for the near and far future, make choices, take action, solve problems and generally control our living environment.

Without fully functioning frontal lobes, you may have intelligence, but you wouldn’t be able to put it to use.

When you run you trigger a network of chemical messengers that regulate our arousal patterns and stress responses.

So by going for a run you are making the executive decisions that happen in the frontal cortex easier.

In a 2010 Japanese study, people who’d just completed bouts of physical activity scored higher on mental tests than those who did not.

Natural stress relief

When you run you are alone in your thoughts. You can use this to your advantage by either getting your brain around an issue that has been challenging you, such as your next launch, or by simply zoning out and enjoying your surroundings.

In studies, regular runners generally say they live a happier, more stress-free life than their housebound counterparts. Aside from simply being happier because you’re in better shape and feeling good, endorphins released while running play a big role in these results.

Boost that brain

Ever heard of the runner’s high? It is real and has more benefits than you think.

When you exercise you reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the release of chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells. These include growing new blood vessels in the brain and helping new brain cells to survive and thrive.

Indirectly, exercise improves mood and sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.

In a study at the University of British Columbia researchers found that regular cardiovascular exercise, the kind that gets your sweat on, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.

Resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises did not have the same results. 

When you run you also help boost self-esteem, lose weight, increase bone density, improve your hearing, live longer, increased joint strength and stability, sleep more soundly and so much more.


So what are you waiting for? Go for that run and watch your business grow.