Running smart

Great piece in The Guardian today. It seems that physical exercise, and in particular running, can actually regenerate brain cells. In other words, running can increase your intelligence.

I have absolutely no doubt that this is the case. I can point to my own experience as proof. I’ve been running for a couple of years now, and at first I thought it was fun. But gradually, as my brain has grown new cells, I’ve begun to understand more and more that it’s a miserable experience and totally exhausting to boot. Now that my intelligence has reached unprecedented heights, I’ve realised that it really is one of the most appalling forms of exercise there are.

Of course, I haven’t actually developed sufficient brainpower to go as far as to give it up. I’ve changed my mix of exercise to include more of other things, but I still do some running. And it still knackers me and still leaves my ankles gasping for relief from the sheer horror every few weeks.

Still I suppose it’s progress that I’ve at least built up the intellectual capacity to have a true appreciation of the sheer ghastliness of the whole business.

What a tribute to the intelligence-enhancing properties of sport.