Archive for running
Morbid marathoning: three ways the 26.2 could, but probably won’t, kill you
Posted by: | CommentsDetroit Marathon has reinvigorated the debate over the potential dangers of distance running. In 2007, elite runner Ryan Shay collapsed and died during the men’s Olympic trials. Shay’s autopsy revealed an irregular heartbeat, because he had what medical experts call “athlete’s heart” – an ultra-low heartrate that allows for added endurance during aerobic activity.
Since Shay’s death, I’ve read more and more debate about whether long-distance running is a health hazard. And after three otherwise healthy men died during yesterday’s run in Detroit (all three were doing the half-marathon event), I’m readying myself for yet another surge of media sensationalism about the sport. But if you think the risk of dropping dead is excuse enough to skip trying a 26.2 sometime in your life, think again. Three studies to put the perils into perspective:
1. Your real risk of kicking it because of cardiac arrest. In one of the most exhaustive studies on marathon safety, researchers at the University of Toronto profiled the marathon results of 3,292,268 runners, competing on 750 separate days, encompassing about 14 million hours of exercise. They found 26 deaths due to cardiac event, which makes the statistical risk less than 0.000006 percent. For comparison’s sake, the study actually concluded that the risk of dying on a marathon route was higher on the other 364 days of the year – because of traffic accidents.
2. If you train right, you need not worry. Yes, a 2006 study published in Circulation did determine that permanent – albeit minor – heart damage was a risk of marathon running. But before you toss your Garmin, consider that the study also concluded that proper training was enough to mitigate the risks. Those who ran 45 miles a week for several weeks prior to their 26.2 managed to significantly cut their chance of cardiac damage. So if a stress fracture or muscle tear doesn’t bust you for overdoing it, a heart attack just might wreck your race day.
3. It’s not even on the top 15 most-risky list. You’re more likely to die lawn bowling than running, and it’s not just the geriatric demographic. Trust me, my sister has a 10-inch scar on her forehead from a game-gone-wrong. And running isn’t even on the list of the fifteen most injury-prone sports: basketball injures more than 500,000 people a year. And we all know that those cheerleaders are just asking for it.
Of course, you could always cop out and golf instead: they’ve got a 40 percent lower death rate than non-players. But, as I think we can all agree, it’s better to die than to golf. So, while you might do a little bit of pelvic damage, bloody your nipples or suffer some gastrointestinal discomfort, you probably won’t be hustled off the course on a stretcher.
Katie Drummond
The Extreme Self
Study pounds home message to women: Exercise or gain
Posted by: | CommentsLOS ANGELES — Gloria Hale rose at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, as usual, to swim laps before work. Active though she is, however, the 55-year-old Orange County, Calif., woman was a bit stunned to learn the latest advice from researchers regarding exercise — that women should work out 60 minutes a day, seven days a week, to maintain a normal weight over their lifetime. “Most people are going to say, ‘No way. I don’t have time for that,’” said Hale, a trim 5-foot-5 and 138 pounds.
The 60-minute-a-day recommendation, released online Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association., is aimed at women of normal weight who don’t want to diet but do want to avoid gaining weight over their lifetime. Most Americans gain about 1.5 pounds a year between age 25 and 55.
Full Article>>http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=10&a=445294
Los Angeles Times
Falling Temperatures Don’t Mean You Cannot Exercise Outdoors, Says Expert
Posted by: | CommentsITHACA, NY — Don’t let the temperature temper your exercise resolution. Even when the temperature drops you can still keep that New Year’s exercise resolution, and you can still do it safely outdoors. Your body can adapt to the falling temperatures, according to Gary Sforzo, an expert on the physiology of exercise.
“If you are concerned about hypothermia, you don’t need to be unless the temperatures are extreme,” says Sforzo, a professor of exercise and sport sciences at Ithaca College. “The body produces a lot of heat during exercise and when it produces heat, it pretty much diminishes any chance of hypothermia. The key is continuous exercise. If you go outdoors for a walk or a run, just move continuously. Don’t stop for five or ten minutes to talk to your neighbor. Hikers sometimes get into trouble if they stop for lunch. As long as you are moving, the muscles produce metabolic heat and that metabolic heat will keep you pretty warm, sometimes to the point where you need to remove clothing.”
What you wear in the cold plays an important role also. Sforzo suggests a synthetic fiber next to your skin that wicks away perspiration — cotton is not a good choice for that. Also be sure to have a windproof jacket.
“The danger zone is typically in the -20 to -30 windchill zone. When the ambient temperature is in the single digits or below and you have wind, you can have some problems. When the ambient temperature gets to 20 below with even the slightest wind, then obviously hypothermia is a problem if you stand around. But in those conditions you are also looking at the potential of frostbite.”
Frostbite is mainly a problem with the extremities. Vasoconstriction can decrease the amount of blood flowing to them so you have to keep those extremities covered with a hat, gloves and good footwear. The nose is a tough one and Sforzo recommends wearing a scarf as high as you can get it on your face.
If you are in doubt about the outdoor conditions, Sforzo suggests checking out a table that shows the danger zone on a wind chill chart before heading out to exercise (http://bit.ly/XtWhn). And he reminds us the chart is for exposed flesh while standing still. “We fare better when covering skin and exercising.”
Also keep in mind that your performance may go down in cold weather.” Cold is not conducive to your personal best performance. Muscles perform better when they are warm. Even Olympians will not get their best performance on the coldest day.”
The body adapts to the cold temperature so, “don’t wait until it is 5 degrees outside to have your first session. When the body adapts it will have a couple of different changes. It will shiver differently and it will more readily release hormones like epinephrine and thyroxine, which allow the body to produce heat more effectively in cold weather. Get used to the cold weather and it will be more comfortable,” said Sforzo.
So excuses begone. Avoid cabin fever, dress right, get out and stick to your resolutions. As a last bit of advice, Sforzo cautions “watch out for the ice!”
Contact: Anne Macdonald
Office: 607-274-1945
amacdonald@ithaca.edu
Reference: 2-9-10-20
Marathon Mama:How I Went From 250 lbs To Being A Marathon Runner
Posted by: | CommentsBy Barbara Roberson
I know that feeling of being 4 pounds away from a goal. I remember it like yesterday, sitting at the beginning of one of my many spinning classes and telling the instructor and classmates, “I just need to lose these last 4 pounds!” I was 204 pounds that the time, from an all time high of 250 pounds. I had been spinning for months and the weight loss was happening slowly. The instructor looked at me funny as I told her, “I know it sounds silly to all of you, but if I can lose these last 4 pounds then I’ll finally see 199 and then that means it is all in the bag! All downhill from there!” They looked at me smiling, sort of shaking their heads and that is when I realized I was with the wrong group! Not one word of encouragement or of advice, so that night I decided to make some changes. I reactivated my dormant Peertrainer account, switched from spinning 2 days a week and weight training 1 day a week, to the Couch to 5K program and weight training 2 days a week. I also refined the Weight Watchers program into my deluxe version in which I used Flex Points but only eating the daily points, used the weekly points as a safety net. I kept at it with the modest goal of running my first 5K in October 2007. I arrived at the race and was terrified but at the safe time felt so alive. I ran the whole thing with a grin from ear to ear! Folks must have thought I was crazy, but good golly it felt so great to be able to run again, and run in public! I had done it! I had ran the whole thing and my hubby and kids were at the finish line cheering me on! Then I signed up for another 5K to see if I can do it faster, did more weightlifting (these months concentrating on heavier weights, so I could get stronger, build more muscle and burn more calories). To my surprise, I did the Jingle Bell for Arthritis 5K even faster, then the New Year’s Resolution Run 5K also faster, and as I got more comfortable with my running, I found myself asking…what is next?
Full Article>>http://bit.ly/97VEsJ
Fitness: Adjust training for age
Posted by: | CommentsWarm-ups, rest, strength training help avoid injury
It wasn’t that long ago that the term “mature athlete” was considered an oxymoron. We associated “mature athletes” with aged or elderly folks who used to exercise, and we certainly didn’t consider people over 40 to run marathons. Thank goodness times have changed!
Turning 40 is certainly no reason to stop running (I dare you to tell someone 40+ any different) and for many, is often their reason they start running (I know a woman who did her first marathon at 78)! By remaining active and running into our prime years, we add years to our lives and life to our years.
Full Article>>http://www.news-press.com/article/20100202/HEALTH/2020303/1013/LIFESTYLES/Fitness–Adjust-training-for-age
Exercise May Help Prevent Dementia
Posted by: | CommentsA recent study showed promise that moderate exercise in both 30 and 40 year old men and women leads to improved cognitive function. The study also reported a potential reduced impairment of cognitive function of about 30 – 40% when exercise was present.
This means that as you age your risk for dementia could be greatly reduced if you begin or continue an exercise program. Plus, the study showed that a lot of exercise is not necessary to derive enough benefit to improve cognitive function.
Here is what the investigators reported as a guide to the frequency and intensity of the exercise performed by each participant:
• Light exercise: bowling, leisurely walking, stretching, slow dancing, and golfing using a cart.
• Moderate exercise: brisk walking, hiking, aerobics, strength training, swimming, tennis doubles, yoga, martial arts, weight lifting, moderate use of exercise machines, and golfing without use of a cart.
• Vigorous exercise: jogging, backpacking, bicycling uphill, tennis singles, racquetball, skiing, and intense or extended use of exercise machines
It is best to incorporate more of the moderate to vigorous exercises and as you can see there are many activities to choose from. So in addition to your current weight loss efforts you can also feel good about adding more “brain power” to the mix!
Source:
Exercise and Cognitive Aid
