Endurance training, especially long-distance running like a marathon, is seen by many as an extreme challenge. The general perception may be that prolonged periods of high-intensity exercise may have negative effects on the body.
Scientific research has been uncovering how physical activity affects human lifespan for many years, especially in the endurance sport of marathons.
A study of the longevity of more than 2,600 elite Finnish male athletes showed that those who committed to endurance sports lived an average of 5.7 years compared to the average Finnish man. This is further supported by a study of 15,174 Olympians, which showed that Olympians live an average of 2.8 years longer than their peers.
These data significantly challenge the general public's concern that endurance exercise can lead to premature aging or loss of health.
Analysis of endurance exercise
This increase in longevity is closely related to the long-term cardiorespiratory training of marathon runners. Constant exercise training not only enhances their heart function but also improves overall metabolic efficiency, which are key factors that affect longevity.
Endurance exercises, such as marathon running, can significantly improve heart efficiency. Long-term training strengthens the heart muscles and increases the capacity of the ventricles, which are able to pump more blood with each heartbeat to supply the body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
This efficient circulatory system is key to improving endurance and stamina, while also helping to reduce the risk of health problems such as heart disease.
Endurance exercise also promotes the enhancement of lung function. Runners who regularly participate in marathons will find that their lung capacity increases significantly, not only because of the expansion of lung tissue, but also because of the increased strength of the respiratory muscles. Such physiological changes help to improve oxygen uptake and utilization, allowing the body to function efficiently after long periods of exercise.
Metabolic activity during endurance exercise also helps to increase metabolic rate, accelerate waste excretion and energy production. This enhanced metabolic activity is not only beneficial for weight control, but also for long-term health.
Regular physical activity can also be effective in weight control, reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, and these health benefits also play a significant role in improving the quality of life and prolonging life.
By regularly participating in endurance events such as marathons, the overall health of athletes is improved, and there is a significant preventive effect on the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
So, while there are concerns about the possible negative effects of long-term endurance training, real-world data and insights backed by scientific research suggest that the benefits of endurance exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and overall health are clear.
Through scientific and planned training, marathons can not only greatly improve the physical fitness of individuals, but also serve as an effective means to improve the quality of life and health.
Marathon worries
While scientific research shows that endurance exercise is beneficial for overall health, running a marathon for long periods of time can still have some concerns and possible injuries:
1. Knee injury: The marathon is relatively long, and long-term running may cause excessive pressure on the knee and increase the risk of knee injury, such as ligament injury, arthritis, etc.
2. Increase the burden on the heart: Marathon is a high-intensity aerobic exercise, and long-term exercise may increase the burden on the heart, leading to problems such as myocardial hypertrophy, heart enlargement, and even heart disease.
3. Muscle soreness and fatigue: Long-term running a marathon may lead to muscle fatigue and soreness, this is because muscles produce metabolites such as lactic acid after long-term exercise, and these substances accumulate in the muscles to cause pain.
4. Impaired immune system: Long-term high-intensity exercise may lead to impaired immune system, making the body more susceptible to viruses and bacteria, causing various diseases.
5. Overtraining Syndrome: Overtraining can lead to a range of physical and psychological symptoms, including insomnia, decreased appetite, anxiety, depression, etc. These symptoms are collectively known as overtraining syndrome and can negatively impact a runner's physical and mental health.
Therefore, when talking about the impact of horse racing on health, we have to mention the crucial factor of "degree".
With scientific training and adequate preparation, participating in 1-2 marathons every year is undoubtedly a positive promotion of health. This moderate exercise challenge can exercise the heart and lungs, improve physical endurance, and make people enjoy the fun of exercise.
However, if you participate in marathons too often, or even run long distances every week, then this can cause a certain burden on the body. In particular, critical areas such as the joints and heart can be extremely challenging.
In this case, whether horse racing is really good for health has become a question worth exploring in depth. While we pursue sports health, we should also pay attention to the moderation of exercise. Only by arranging the intensity and frequency of exercise reasonably according to your physical condition and training level can you truly enjoy the benefits of exercise.
Scientific training rules
Marathon is a long-distance, high-intensity sport, and if it is not scientifically trained, it can easily lead to physical injury.
Running a marathon scientifically means arranging a training plan according to one's physical condition, athletic ability and training goals, including training intensity, frequency, distance and recovery time, so as to effectively reduce the risk of sports injuries.
Scientific training mainly includes the following aspects:
1. Set reasonable goals and plans: Before you start training, you need to set a clear goal, such as completing a full marathon or improving your performance. Then, develop a detailed training plan based on your goals, including the number of training days per week, the distance and intensity of each training session, etc.
2. Establish good running habits: Do sufficient warm-up exercises before running, and maintain correct posture when running, such as leaning forward slightly, taking a moderate pace, and swinging your arms naturally. Proper stretching and relaxation should be done after running to avoid muscle tension and pain.
3. Gradually increase the training intensity: During the training process, it is necessary to gradually increase the training intensity to meet the high-intensity requirements of the marathon. You can increase the intensity of your training by increasing your running distance, increasing your running speed, increasing your hill climbing, and more.
4. Diversified training content: In order to improve physical fitness in an all-round way, the training content should be diversified. In addition to running, you can also do strength training, flexibility training, core stability training, etc. These workouts can help improve running efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.
5. Reasonable arrangement of rest and recovery: During training, it is necessary to arrange rest and recovery time reasonably to avoid excessive fatigue and injury. Recovery can be promoted through adequate sleep, dietary modifications, and massage.
6. Conduct appropriate simulation competitions: During the training process, you can conduct appropriate simulation competitions to test your training results and improve your adaptability to the competition. The simulation match should include the preparation before the game, the strategy during the game, and the summary after the game, etc.
7. Pay attention to physical condition and reaction: During the training process, you should always pay attention to your physical condition and reaction, and adjust the training plan in time. If you experience excessive fatigue, pain, or other discomfort, you should stop training and seek help from your doctor.
Although marathon running does pose a challenge to the body, these risks can be effectively managed with scientific training and reasonable lifestyle adjustments.
Running marathons as a hobby, not the whole of life, and the common concerns about marathon shortening life are not necessary in most cases.
Quality of life improves
Consistent running and moderate running have a significant impact on improving quality of life.
Marathon training requires constant physical strength and willpower, and this training habit gradually shapes the runner's lifestyle, making them more active in their daily lives.
For example, marathon runners tend to have better time management skills and self-motivation skills that can be applied not only in sports, but also in professional and personal life, improving overall life efficiency.
Marathon training strengthens runners' physical fitness. Through regular endurance training, runners experience a significant increase in cardiorespiratory fitness and an increase in metabolic rate, which contributes to weight control and disease prevention. Maintaining such a state of health over a long period of time can significantly improve the quality of life and reduce medical costs and health risks.
Participating in marathons and other long-distance running activities often involves a supportive, positive community. Such a social environment not only enhances an individual's social communication skills, but also provides emotional support and motivation that can have a positive impact on mental health.
As an endurance sport, under the guidance of scientific and reasonable training, marathon not only does not shorten life expectancy, but can bring more long-term health benefits to participants by enhancing physical fitness and improving quality of life.
How many marathons do you run each year? Feel free to leave a comment to share your views!