Running long distances is one of my favorite hobbies. Marathons have become a regular weekend event for me. Over nearly 20 years of marathon running and training for long distance sports I have heard many misconceptions about the inherent risks of running endurance events. I have put a few of these myths to rest below.
The single most common statement I hear about training for a marathon is this – our bodies are not made to run long distances. The ironic part of the statement is it is often made by individuals who are quite incapable of attempting this feat because of their fitness levels.
The second most common misconception about running and marathon training is that it is bad for your joints. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Running long distances increases blood flow to your joints and increases cartilage repair. The most common issue that leads to joint problems is being overweight; and running fights obesity.
I also hear that running is bad for your heart. Marathon training is so beneficial to our cardiac systems that many studies have proven that distance runners are no only healthier, but live longer. This is because the heart becomes more efficient and has to work less to move the same amount of blood.
Marathon training has a high rate of minor injuries. However, this is most often due to improper techniques in training and does not necessarily imply that the marathon training itself is bad for you.
Marathon injuries are often the fault of the runner because they often try to cram too much training into too little time. Causing injuries by increasing mileage too fast or doing too much speed work with too little rest.
The other injury often found in marathon training is pulled muscles. This is due to inadequate flexibility. Some simple stretching will solve this, so once again, you don’t get off the hook.
To adequately train for a marathon requires substantial time to slowly build up you weekly miles. To often the sport itself is blamed for improper training.
Some of the healthiest individuals are those that regularly undergo marathon training. So now that you know that it is in fact good for you there are no more excuses. So get out there and do some running.