Run Toward Time: How 75 Minutes a Week Can Reverse 12 Years of Biological Aging

I’m not going to lie to you and pretend that I’m a runner. My sister runs marathons and so does my uncle, but I’m not able to do more than a half, and that’s when I trained excessively.

I do like running when I can get into it, and I’m the type who pushes through shin-splints to keep going.

There’s something about the pounding of bare feet on packed earth, the ragged breathing, and the wind that’s not just against your skin, but inside you, reminding you that you're alive.

But now some new research has uncovered it may also make you younger.
Guess it’s time to break out my sneakers again.

According to a recent study, just 75 minutes a week of jogging or running can reduce your biological age by up to 12 years.

Not metaphorical years, like actual measurable ones. This isn’t about anti-aging creams or the illusion of youth. This is about cellular rejuvenation, and actually turning back your internal clock one stride at a time.

The Study That Stopped Us in Our Tracks (Ha)

A team of researchers at the Human Performance Lab set out to study the correlation between exercise and aging, not in terms of looks or muscle tone, but in actual epigenetic markers.

They focused on biological age, which is a measure of how old your body functions compared to your chronological age.

What they found was pretty cool, people who engaged in 75 minutes of running or jogging per week showed biological profiles up to 12 years younger than their sedentary counterparts. These changes occurred even without dietary shifts or supplements, and the rejuvenation was most noticeable in cardiovascular health, mitochondrial efficiency, and cellular repair systems.

Why Running? Why 75 Minutes?

If you’re like me you just read that and was like ugh why did it have to be running? Well, apparently, running activates a cascade of biological effects because of increases blood flow and oxygenation it will reduce systemic inflammation, stimulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a compound linked to memory and neuroplasticity. Running also enhances telomerase activity, protecting your DNA ends from fraying. (Read: The Cell That Changed Everything: Why Telomeres Matter)

And here’s the cool part that might make you feel a little happier, it doesn’t take marathons (thank god). You don’t need to earn any kind of shiny medal.

Just 11 minutes a day, which is less than one episode of TV, and more often than not less than most coffee breaks.

What Is Biological Age, Really?

Unlike your birthday, biological age tells the story of your mitochondria (the powerhouses that lose steam with age), inflammation levels with a little bit of immune resilience, and DNA methylation (the chemical caps on your genes that affect expression).

It's the actual condition of your body, not the number on your driver's license (which is a lie anyway, no way I’m mid-30s!).

Running doesn’t just slow aging, it rewinds it.

How to Start If You Haven’t Moved in Years

Okay, if you just read this and became super motivated to run, then same. I just want to warn anyone who (like me) haven’t run in a long time. Maybe first just start with walking. You can add light intervals of jogging in there, but don’t go crazy and hurt yourself right off the bat.

Another little tip of mine is to start just use time, not distance. Aim more for 11–15 minutes, not any kind of miles. You’re in this for the long haul so don’t burn yourself out right away.

Download an app that gently tracks progress so you can watch yourself improve. I like seeing my stats slowly shift better and better. Try Couch to 5K or Nike Run Club.

For the love of all things holy, wear good shoes. I work on my feet all day and I can’t tell you how important it is to wear good shoes. Without them your knees, back, feet, and maybe even your nose will start aching. These joint-supporting running insoles (expensive around $50, but worth it!) can make a huge difference in comfort and injury prevention.

Celebrate your micro wins, one run is a win, and one day without excuses is a triumph.

Youth Isn’t Just Physical

Your neurons age too as you get older, don’t forget. Running stimulates the hippocampus (memory center), boosts serotonin and dopamine, improves sleep and focus (oh yeah, I need this), and even supports the growing of new brain cells which we can all use.

That’s not just younger lungs or legs, that’s a younger mind you get in the process as well. In a world where cognitive decline is rising, that’s worth lacing up for in my professional opinion. (Just kidding, I’m only a professional when it comes to writing blog posts and pouring wine, I don’t know anything about the brain except what I research in my spare time).

I’m of the belief that we sit too much, drive too much, swipe and scroll and consume way more than we should be doing. Yes, I am personally a victim of doom-scrolling, which is why my apps are all set to 5 minutes max per day.

Running is the antithesis of all that modern stillness. It doesn’t ask you to be productive, it just asks you to show up and try your best. When you do, your body begins to self-correct, and you sleep better, digest better, and even age slower.

Pair Running With Nature

I love pairing things that aren’t wine and food related, so here’s a good one: a run in the woods or near water decreases cortisol by 20–30% more than indoor runs. Doing your running outside increases vitamin D all the while tapping into a form of grounding and forest bathing that a lot of people swear by (it’s me, I’m a lot of people).

If you can’t get to a trail, even just running under the sun makes a difference (get your 20 minutes of sunlight in per day!).

Pair it with movement, and you’re working with time, not against it.

Surprisingly, improvements in your body can start in just 2–3 weeks. Telomere length begins to increase in 6–8 weeks, and mitochondrial output rises in just 3 sessions of quick short runs.

You’re not running for years to see benefit, you’re running for days, and that’s all it takes for your cells to notice.

Some people run for health, some run for peace, some people run to feel like they’re not being chased by the world. But what I’ve found happens after a few weeks is that you start to feel powerful. Or maybe it’s more like you’re carrying less, or breathing deeper. I’m not sure entirely, but it definitely had a positive impact on my own spiritual journey healing from my trauma.

You might start out jogging to live longer, but eventually I think you’ll run because it makes the now feel better.

You Don’t Need to Escape Age. Just Run With It

Aging isn’t the real enemy here, stagnation is.

What this study reminds us (and what your feet will tell you after the third run), is that youth isn’t in the mirror.

It’s in the lungs, the blood, that quiet burn of motion that says:“I’m not done yet.”

And don’t forget that running also helps with brain growth!