Running a half mile provides substantial aerobic exercise that counts toward the recommended 150 weekly minutes recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention for maintaining a healthy body. A half mile may not seem like much to an athlete or seasoned runner, but even this running distance can have a significant impact on the physiology of your respiratory rate. Always consult a health care professional before starting a running regimen.
Running and Muscle Energy
Running even short distances increases how much energy the muscles of your legs, arms and other associated muscle groups are using every second. Without replacement energy, your muscles would not be able to move, stopping you in your tracks. Luckily, your body is good at adjusting functions like energy production to maintain homeostasis, or balance throughout all the different systems of the body.
Energy and Oxygen
For your body to adjust to the new energy needs created by running a half mile, it must increase the components necessary to create energy. One of the most important of these components is oxygen. To maintain adequate oxygen in the bloodstream, your brain communicates with the cells of your lungs to increase your overall respiratory rate. The faster your respiratory rate, the quicker your body inhales oxygen from the surrounding environment. After inhalation the oxygen passes into your bloodstream.
Energy Creation and Carbon Dioxide
Once oxygen hits your bloodstream your cardiovascular system takes over, quickly moving oxygen to needy cells using red blood cells as a transport system. Once at the cell, the oxygen combines with broken down nutrients from the foods you've recently consumed, or broken down nutrients from places like fat storage. This results in a process called aerobic respiration, in which the reaction produces energy for the cell as well as carbon dioxide, water and heat.
Carbon Dioxide Removal
Your lungs' job is not complete after they supply oxygen to your bloodstream. Once energy is created, the waste product of carbon dioxide is transported back into the bloodstream. This waste is taken back to the lungs through your veins, then exhaled. The increase in respiratory rate helps keep up with the removal of carbon dioxide, which is why your increased breathing rate may continue after you have finished your run. As less energy is needed, and less carbon dioxide is being created, the lungs slow back down to a more normal rate.
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