Christine Many Luff lives and breathes running. Her passion for the sport filters through all aspects of her life -- as a fitness writer, avid runner, and running coach.

Experience:
Christine has been running competitively since the seventh grade. Since then, this seasoned runner has run countless races and eight marathons, including two Boston marathons. As a coach for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training (TNT) running team in New York City since 2003, Christine has trained thousands of runners to cross the finish lines of dozens of full and half-marathons. Christine also works with individual runners to help them reach their running goals, from completing their first 5K to achieving their personal best in the marathon.

As a health and fitness writer/editor, Christine has held staff positions at Reader's Digest and Ladies' Home Journal and has written for numerous magazines, web sites, newsletters, and books including: More, Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Sports Illustrated for Women, and Rodale Online.
1. Running improves your health
One of the biggest benefits of running is that it's good for your health. Running is an excellent way to strengthen the heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body, which helps decrease your risk of a heart attack. Exercise, combined with maintaining a healthy weight, is one of the best ways to naturally reduce your blood pressure if it's above normal. If you have high cholesterol, running can also help keep it in check. Running also improves your immune system, so your body functions are more effective and efficient at fighting off germs. Running and other weight-bearing exercises increase bone density, which can fend off osteoporosis.
2. You can lose weight
Many people start running to lose some extra pounds. As one of the most vigorous exercises out there, running is an extremely efficient way to burn calories and lose weight. If you're already at a healthy weight, running can help you maintain it. Just make sure you don't think running gives you a license to eat anything you want. The basic rule of weight loss — that you must burn (through life functions and exercise) more calories than you take in — still applies to runners.
3. You can run for a cause
Running can also be used as a way to contribute to society as a whole. Many races benefit charities, and some charities offer race training in exchange for fund-raising. Running for something that's bigger than you is a great way to stay motivated to keep training and can make your races even more meaningful and fulfilling.
4. You can meet new people through running
Some runners enjoy the quiet and solitude of running on their own, but other runners see running time as social opportunities. Finding a running buddy or running with a group is a great way to develop a sense of community. You can set goals and accomplish them together. In addition, having a regular running buddy or running group is a great way to stay motivated to run.
5. You can experience something new and different
Running is a great way to expand your horizons and break away from the daily grind. The sport gives people the opportunity to explore areas of their own community or new locations, experience new physical sensations and run places they may not normally see.
6. You can train for a specific goal
Some people hate to exercise just for the sake of exercising, but with running, though, you can train for races, from 5Ks to marathons and beyond. Training for a race gives you a specific goal to work toward, which can definitely help improve your motivation to run.
7. Running improves your energy levels
When you're feeling sluggish or tired, running is a great way to boost your energy. Runners who run in the morning report that they have improved energy levels during the day. Combining running with a healthy diet will help improve your energy levels even more.
8. Running will help you feel good about yourself
Regular runners report an increase in their confidence and self-esteem, and the self-esteem benefits of running are increased if you set a specific goal, such as running a marathon, and accomplish it.
9. Running is versatile and inexpensive
Running requires very little equipment, and it can be done almost anywhere. All you need is a good pair of running shoes, and you can head out your door to go for a run. From city sidewalks to wooded trails, there are plenty of places for runners to explore — at no cost. If you travel a lot, it's easy to pack your running shoes and run while you're on the road.
10. Running can help with stress relief
Running — as with many forms of exercise — is a great cure for stress, emotional strain and even mild depression. Research has shown that healthy adults who exercise regularly are generally happier than those who don't.

Fit4Life training resumed last Thursday night and will continue each Tuesday and Thursday night at 7pm at Westside Library Carpark. Beginners wishing to join can do so next week (19th and 21st) and following week (26th and 28th) only. After that no new beginner runners will be taken until after Easter on Tuesday 6th April.