HERENESS MEMBERS introduces "people who know the joy of physical exercise.

In this second issue, we introduce Chisho Yoshikawa, who has been running for a year and is experiencing changes in her mind and body.

When you meet Chihiro Yoshikawa in her everyday clothes, you get the impression that she is a calm and cultured person, not a crunchy sportswoman. In fact, during her school days, she was a member of the Light Music Club and the English Club, and was familiar with music, literature, and movies.

It was a major change in her life environment that prompted her to start running.

Positive changes gained from running

I got married in November of the year before last, and my environment and lifestyle changed drastically. I started walking to improve my physical fitness and to lose weight.

I had always liked walking. I had always liked walking, and it was no trouble for me to walk for half a day at a time, so it came naturally to me to start running.

I was a novice, so I had no idea what pace was good for physical fitness or how long I needed to run to be effective. At first, I ran at a fairly fast pace on the running machine for about 20 minutes, then walked for about five minutes, and repeated. Recently, I have been running at a much slower pace and have found my own pace, and with the help of a GPS app, I have learned that my body feels lighter and I can run easier at this pace. I'm a bit naive, so I've been taking it pretty easy (laughs).

After a little over a year of running, he began to see changes. Her body has become lighter, and even in her daily life, small movements have become easier and less tiring.

I run once a week on weekends, for a distance of 5 km. I have a fixed route, but I try to find something interesting by going off the beaten path or running on unfamiliar roads.

Mr. Kikkawa's running style is natural. He does not push himself too hard, so he is able to continue running for a long time. What he values is the feeling of "feeling good.

After I finish a run, it feels great to feel empty inside," he says. Also, it feels great when the scenery is nice.