Run for Your Life

Geplaatst op 01-10-2025

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, Breathe deep, roll high.

Why running matters for a roller skater.

By Brian B. Kanhai, Soulful Fitness Roller Skate Training.

I started running when I was around ten years old. It was a terrible experience. I woke up one early Sunday morning for a meditative long shower, forced a disgusting shake of raw eggs and milk down the pipes - because I saw Rocky Balboa do exactly that - and I started running like an idiot. I ran about 20 minutes and got hit with a whiplash in my right calf muscle; the walk back home took me almost 2 hours. A horrendous experience in the middle of a snowy winter, because I had no clue what I was doing. Miraculously, it did not throw me off, although it took me a couple of weeks to recover.

As a teen, I watched a lot of sports and documentaries about sports and athletes. So pushing physical limits is something that has always appealed to me from a very young age. My continuous hunger for data and facts on training and skill improvement was probably conceived during that two hour walk back home. Not long after, I would reside in the central library in Rotterdam for hours on end, searching for information on how to improve my running skills. Half of the information I did not understand. It was too technical and I was simply too young. But starting a martial arts journey around the same time (1983) with some incredible mentors on my path forward, added another interesting layer of intrinsic dedication and self development. Slowly, I started to gain and understand the right knowledge that would add lifelong value to my skills.When I enlisted into formal paramedic training in 1994, I definitely closed the first foundational circle of knowledge and experience that would prove to serve me for the decades ahead. Unbeknownst to myself at the time and for a long time in the years after, I was on the right path.

Running mate.

I’ve recently hit level 52. Over the decades I’ve learned to treat running like a reliable and long-lasting friendship. Most of the time it's an easy chat that translates into a 5 to 7.5 kilometer maintenance run, in various speed modes. We have known each other for so long, so maintaining the friendship on this level at this age is no effort at all.

But every once in a while, let's say every other 6 to 8 weeks, we get a little more serious. We go beyond the superficiality of our relationship and do a prescheduled 10 kilometer deep dive into a`how are you really doing, what's your status, how is life treating you and how are you treating yourself’ kind of flow.

And then there are of course those stressful times when life throws lemons while dropping roadblocks in the way, or periods after flu recovery or something like that; then, this long time friend kicks me in the nuts and reminds me of my mortality. Now, that's a real buddy for ya right there.

Running, for me, isn’t extreme heroics; it’s the steady but necessary thread that knits cardiovascular fitness, mental clarity, and impeccable balance and control on roller skates, all together. Add a few smart weight sessions to the mix and you now have the full scope of my unique personal health recipe combo that resists aging and improves performance.

Below I will try to explain in short, why running and in specific VO₂max is basically your aerobic résumé, how lifting helps, and what the research says about how much running is actually ideal.

*Side note: 4 decades later, I have significantly improved my protein shake game! Although I lost my taste and smell along the way (hyposnia), which is a topic for another day, my protein shakes today are deliciously tasty.

The effects of running.

So the majority of people are not top athletes or not even top level amateur sports practitioners. So when looking at studies and research and hearing soundbites on social media from everyone and their mamma yelling they have the ultimate solution, it is always important to put the information in the right context: `Who is it for, what is exactly the meaning and purpose and does the shared information pertain to my circumstances, goals and hurdles`.

When you engage into sports activities with a frequency of once perhaps twice a week, that's already a big deal. Especially taking into account, the insane busy lives humans have in today's world with all kinds of commitments, either self imposed or forced by circumstances. All the more reason to be fully aware of the fact that even small amounts of regular running give large health benefits for every human being of any age, gender and social status. Those health benefits directly impact all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, as in bringing those numbers significantly down.

There is a dose-response curve:

meeting general guideline levels (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity on a weekly basis) gives nearly maximal longevity benefits. Very large volumes don’t add proportionally more; that means more is not necessarily better. So going fanatic about it, doesn't really add more to your health status. That's important to know, as it may help to balance between what is fun and maintainable on one side and what is actually necessary and effective on the other side.

VO₂max (maximal oxygen uptake) is according to today's science one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and mortality. Improving it, matters. Resistance (weight) training independently reduces mortality risk and complements running in terms of better strength, balance, and durability.  Combining endurance and strength training produces additive benefits for fitness and functional capacity, especially as we age. 

What is VO₂max and why should you care?

VO₂max = the maximum rate at which your body can take in, transport, and use oxygen during intense exercise. Think of it as the size and quality of your aerobic engine.

Why it matters:

A higher VO₂max translates into being able to do more work with less strain (stairs, sprints, long skating sessions). It’s a powerful predictor of longevity and cardiovascular risk; people with higher cardiorespiratory fitness tend to live longer and suffer fewer heart events. Improving VO₂max can come from regular running (especially interval work) and from maintaining muscle through resistance training.

A practical perspective from a 52-year-old runner with strong roller skating tendencies:

Small improvements in VO₂max translate to feeling strong and balanced on roller skates. There is less breathlessness during long or heavy drills, faster recovery between hard efforts and peak performance, and steadier balance of all vital functions, because the body isn’t fighting for oxygen.

How running and weight training work together.

Running builds cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health; weight training builds strength, bone density, neuromuscular control, and resilience.

Together they:

• Improve functional performance (faster accelerations, fewer falls on skates)
• Reduce injury risk (stronger hips, glutes, and core stabilize the knee/ankle under load)
• Provide complementary routes to raise or preserve VO₂max and muscular power. 

How much running is "best" ? (what the science says).

Personally, I don't think it's good to force anyone to do anything, even if it's for their own good and even when science of today says it's best. Everyone should make up their own mind and make their own choices tailored to personal circumstances. There is a ton of effective and valid information and sources to do so and make educated decisions.

For those who are interested, there’s a surprising and useful takeaway from large cohort studies and pooled analyses:

• 1. Small amounts help a lot. Studies report large health benefits even for short, regular runs (for example, 5–10 minutes per day at slow speeds was associated with reduced mortality risk compared with non-runners). In short: you don’t have to be a marathoner to gain longevity. Doing something beats doing nothing!
• 2. Meeting public-health guidelines gives near-maximal benefits. Pooled analyses show that meeting the recommended minimum (roughly 150 min of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 min vigorous) is associated with nearly the maximum longevity benefits, and a benefit threshold occurs around ~3–5× the minimum (i.e., additional benefit plateaus). The implication: moderate, regular running is extremely efficient for health. 
• 3. Frequency & time: Large datasets show benefit for low-frequency runners (even 1–2 sessions/week) and for modest weekly minutes (for many people the sweet spot for longevity and low injury risk is within 50–150 minutes per week of purposeful moderate–vigorous activity).

High volumes (many hours/week) still show benefits in many studies but gains are smaller per extra hour and injury risk or other downsides may rise. 

Intensity matters, just as consistency.

If your goal is to raise VO₂max efficiently, intensity helps: short bouts of higher-intensity work (intervals) produce larger gains in VO₂max than easy jogging alone, though both help.

The sweet approach: mostly consistent easy runs for volume and recovery, plus one session every week or two with structured intervals or hard efforts to stimulate VO₂max. 

The effects on roller skating.

Practical, personal observations (and explainable physiology).

Stamina on long skate sessions: running has maintained my aerobic base at a high level, so I recover quicker between long skate drills and maintain proper technique later into practice.

Balance and neuromuscular control.

Running builds single-leg stability and ankle control; combined with weighted hip/glute work, that transfers to tighter, more stable edges.

An important downside of roller skating is the inability to flex and stretch the footsoles while having your feet stuck in those darn skate boots. Frequent and intense footwork and toe mobility exercises are essential to maintaining healthy kinetic fluency, from the toes all the way up to the top of the spine. Running provides exactly the toe work any roller skater needs.

Power & repeatability.

Interval sessions improved my ability to produce repeated bursts of power moves on roller skates (floor moves, outdoor skating etc).

Injury Resistance.

Consistent strength training resulting in stronger glutes, better hip hinge, and resilient knees, reduced the “aches” after intense skating blocks. These experiences are supported by research that shows combined endurance + resistance programs improve fitness and functional outcomes, particularly in middle age. 

Myth-checking and cautions.

“More is always better”.

Not necessarily so. When you're having fun, do as you please, without getting hurt and being mindful of enough rest in between sessions of whatever activities you're engaging in.

Most long term longevity benefits come from modest activity, with diminishing returns at very high volumes and rising injury risk. This comes especially into play when aging above 50 years and beyond.

“Running destroys your knees”.

Mostly false. When done sensibly (progression, strength training, reasonable volume!!), running is not a knee-destroyer and is associated with improvements in overall health. Strength training further protects joints. How about walking, running and skipping backwards? Give it a try, you'll be amazed about the results.

Pain should never be neglected and should always be checked out and dealt with. Consulting a physician and a running expert is the best way to move forward. Not doing anything is not an option!

Blasting the engine.

There are good alternatives, when -for whatever reason- running is not an option in any form or intensity. Jumping on the spot, rope skipping, rebounder exercises, swimming, biking; they all have cardiovascular benefits, which is the main purpose. Blasting the entire cardiovascular and respiratory engine is needed, to maximize health at an older age. 

Final running thoughts from a seasoned 52-year-old avid rhythm roller skater, aka Bfunkphenomenon.

Running is a wonderfully simple, high-leverage habit. It raises your VO₂max, clears your head, and if you pair it with structured strength training, it bolsters the muscles that make you resilient and better at other sports such as rhythm roller skating.

You don’t have to be obsessive about it: a couple of sensible runs a week (or every other week), a mix of easy miles and occasional harder efforts, a sprint every now and then, and two weekly strength sessions will give big health returns and keep you mobile, powerful, and ready to grow funky flow on and off wheels. If you keep it fun and maintainable, it will be easier to do it regularly; when you do it regularly, you're going to have more fun doing it.

The running mate in you, can become your best friend in life, for the rest of your life.

—------

A practical template.

Based on my personal experience, my decades long work as a sports trainer and extraction from scientific literature, I have assembled a very low-friction easy to follow weekly plan, to get you started or inspired to move to your next level. There are many sources that can help you in the right direction and meet you where you are now in your fitness status. This is just one example, but I strongly encourage you to dive deeper!

Run A (maintenance): 5–7.5 km easy conversational pace, once or two times a week; this keeps base aerobic fitness and aids recovery.

Run B (every 1–3 weeks alternate):

option 1. occasionally longer than 7,5 km

Option 2. a VO₂max stimulus session every 2 weeks (e.g., 6×2 minutes at hard effort with 2 minutes easy jog recovery).

Strength:

2 sessions/week compound lifts (deadlifts/single-leg deadlifts, hip thrusts, lunges), plus plank/anti-rotation work. Keep loads playful but progressive.

(Rhythm) Roller Skating:

Depending on your goals and preferences, roller skating once or two times a week is excellent cross-training. The technicality of roller skating moves, stimulates, the body, the brain and the soul in effective and funky ways. Of course I`m advocating for the Soulful Fitness Roller Skate Training system as your go-to, but do and join in what feels comfortable to you. 

Overall Reason for this plan:

This motivational starting plan keeps you comfortably within the ranges shown to reduce mortality and improve VO₂max and also builds the strength and skill transfer that improves overall roller skating skills.

Whatever plan, schedule or motivational route you're getting into, pick a route that meets your physical status where it's at and keeps you in check. The best plan is the plan you want to stick to and motivates you to plan the next session.  

Scientific literature.

1. Lee D-C, et al. Leisure Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk. (2014). PMC article summarizing running and reduced mortality risk. 

2. Arem H, et al. Leisure time physical activity and mortality: a detailed pooled analysis of the dose-response relationship. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(6):959–967. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.0533. 

3. Mandsager K, et al. Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality and Cardiovascular Events. JAMA Netw Open. 2018; (study on cardiorespiratory fitness and mortality). 

4. Scribbans TD, et al. The Effect of Training Intensity on VO2max in Young Adults (2016); controlled training intensity effects on VO₂max. 

5. Shailendra P, et al. Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2022 (shows resistance training associated with lower mortality). 

6. Hurst C, et al. The effects of same-session combined exercise training on fitness in adults over 50: a meta-analysis. (2019); combined endurance + strength benefits.

7. Momma H, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022 (muscle strengthening associated with lower mortality). 

8. Strasser B, et al. Survival of the fittest: VO2max, a key predictor of longevity? Review on VO₂max as a health biomarker.