Are you a runner? I’m an occasional runner, but Jess Kimball is devoted to the sport. She’s the star of my thrillers Fatal Enemy and Fatal Distraction. She’s also an investigative journalist for Taboo Magazine, and a victim’s rights advocate because of a personal tragedy that shoved her in that direction.
Running isn’t just a random activity that I drew out of a hat to assign to Jess Kimball. It makes perfect sense that she’s a runner, based on the benefits of running.
Are you a runner? If so, you’ve got a lot going for you!
Here Are Some Of The Benefits of Running:
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Running gives you an immediate, achievable goal
You have to overcome physical and mental obstacles to meet the demands of any run. When you set your running goal, and meet it, you get an instant feeling of achievement.
For Jess Kimball, this is important because her other primary goal often leaves her feeling hopeless: Her son was kidnapped over a decade ago. Her efforts to find him are relentless, but so far, she’s come up empty-handed. Running is something she knows she can do, relatively quickly, and without fail.
- Running increases independence
Running is a highly individual sport. You must rely only and entirely upon yourself.
Running gives Jess that resilience she needs. She’s determined to be completely self-sufficient because her son’s life depends on her.
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Running improves sleep quality
Part of the reason that running helps you sleep is obvious: exercise makes you tired. But another big part of the reason running helps with sleep is that running reduces stress.
- Running helps you solve problems
Running arouses your brain, thanks to increased heart rate and increased oxygen flow. But at least one study takes it a step farther, and shows that exercise makes you not only more alert, but also a better thinker! It helps you process information faster, focus better, and improves memory. All aspects helpful in problem-solving.
As an investigative journalist, Jess Kimball’s entire life revolves around problem-solving.
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Running helps you get places quickly.
Stating the obvious here, but the career of an investigative journalist can be deadly, and Jess needs to stay in good physical shape to outrun danger and sprint toward a solution. Jess is a natural athlete, which is probably also at least a small part of the reason she was drawn to an active job.
Do you run? If so, what’s your primary motivation?
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