Mae: To run or not to run

A big "congratulations" to Annie's sister, who just completed a marathon and a major milestone. This is an amazing accomplishment by any standard, but even more so for someone like me who cannot even fathom what it must involve. And while I am in awe of this feat, I also have a cringe-y look on my face just thinking about it.

I'll admit it. I've never liked running and all of it's accoutrements: shin splints, sore arches, wrecked knees, achey lower back, etc. Yes, sure, there are many health benefits, and who am I, of all (out of shape) people, to dis it? I've never had a runner's um, structure and composition, and always found it very taxing. It's possible that I'd feel differently if I were actually capable of running without feeling like I'm going to die. I've scoured the medical literature on this and there are plenty of qualified professionals who say that the human body (and not just one type of body) is designed to run. Period. So, fat people, get over yourselves and quit yer whinin'! Right?

Well not exactly. I caught a news item on Daily Planet last week that discussed the results of a study from Quebec on the condition of marathon runners' hearts.  The study was provoked by the untimely deaths of a few marathon runners during their runs, and it turns out that not all runners are necessarily 'fit' to run these gruelling events. Marathon runners who train properly and who are in good health may experience some temporary and reversible tissue damage in the heart, but those who are not in good shape and who do not follow a proper training regime may not fare as well. Basically, running long distances when you're not ready/fit/prepared can have some pretty serious consequences. The Daily Planet host commented that an unfit person is physically capable of running 45 km (I must have heard that wrong, right?), but that doesn't necessarily mean that because they can, that it's not without risk to their cardiovascular health.

So the lesson in all of this is that if you're on your way to a healthier weight and improved overall health, incorporating exercise/running into your daily routine is important, but it's essential to do it right. I mentioned in a previous post that I'm getting a book on a walk-to-run training regime and I am doubling the weeks it suggests (16 instead of 8). At the end of 16 weeks, I won't be running marathons, but maybe 5 km. I suspect I'll be at that level for a while until I work up to the kind of stamina and hard-work required to run around Greece ; )