Here's what Running Marathon does for your body
If you have seen enough inspirational pictures in your Instagram feed of friends finishing marathon, or you are bored with your spinning program, you may find yourself wondering if it is time to jump into the marathon race yourself. After all, running seems like a good "course" to jump into, as it makes your heart pump, your muscles move, and your lungs breathe fresh air. However, hitting a pavement (or trail, track, or treadmill) for so many miles makes us wonder if there are any serious physical dangers involved.
To get to the end of the potential dangers and benefits of marathon training, we turned to two professional runners.
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Although Cane and Rowley shared that there are real benefits to training and running marathons, there are a number of risks and consequences as well. But before you finish the idea of putting a “long distance race” on your bucket list, stay with us. Our experts have some great tips for reducing potential risks, below.
Potential risks:
Muscle Injury
According to Rowley, the most common misdiagnosis is that it causes significant damage to the joints and muscles due to the normal and heavy impact. A review of the risk factors for running injuries found evidence that suggests a link between a history of previous injuries and a higher risk of recruiting young people from running.1 Athletes who have experienced a serious injury should make sure they seek medical attention excessive aggression, muscle imbalance, or malnutrition. Failure to resolve the root cause is a recurring pattern.
Although running injuries are common during marathon training, there are a few steps you can take to reduce your risk. The first is to train wisely. Athletes who do too fast, who exercise excessively, or who occasionally train are all at greater risk for osteoporosis. The body needs time to adjust to training, and recovery and rest are also important for muscle repair.2 Make sure you work with a trainer or get a proper training program.
Second, make sure you warm up with your training run and races. "Instead of starting at the full race, take the time to find a better range of motion and pressure - once you feel your body getting used to the free pace, you can start pushing yourself a bit to avoid injury," Rowley said.
It is also important to make sure that your shoes fit snugly and change approximately every 350-500 miles to ensure they still provide the support and cushioning you need.
Lastly, Rowley recommends eating foods high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables, as well as drinking plenty of water. It is also important to get enough calories to help your muscles rebuild.
Muscle Pain
To the uneducated, it may seem that marathon runners seem to enjoy their language as much as they do after the race. After all, it shows you are part of a special 262 mile club. If you think you are a member of the card holder, one of the words you should know is DOMS, which is an acronym for Delayed Start Muscle Soreness. Although the popular theory was that DOMS is the result of muscle lactic acid, this is not true (lactic acid is metabolized and eliminated) .3
“In many cases, DOMS is caused by tearing of muscle tissue. It usually gets worse after a hard run, especially after a run downhill, ”explains Cane. "Focusing on a healthy diet after running can help reduce the effect or duration of pain, so make sure you get protein, which is high in carbohydrates just after running."
Loss of Nails (Or Two)
You may need to put your favorite pedicurist into fast dialing once you have started marathon training. While certainly the gravitational pull on black toes or even the loss of the toe is pale in comparison to the most serious injuries, toe infections are so prevalent in long-distance runners that there are memes declaring that they are a passing tradition.
“To some extent, it is simply the nature of the beast; Your toes touch the inside of your shoe a thousand times (if not tens of thousands) in each run, ”explains Cane. “Even subtle scratches are compounded when repeated days, weeks, months. Such frequent contact can lead to the formation of blood under the nails, which may cause the nail to fall out. ”
The good news is that although a certain level of microtrauma may be unavoidable, you can reduce your risk, if you decide to skip this route. “First, cut those nails short. The shorter they get, the less contact the shoe will have, ”advised Cane. “Second, make sure your shoes fit snugly. Sure, some of this is inevitable, but if it happens too often, the shoes may not fit well. Along those same lines, try a different thickness of socks. "
Kidney Injury
Most people do not immediately think of kidney damage when they think of the common dangers of running a marathon. However, according to a study conducted at Yale University School of Medicine, 82 percent of long-distance runners suffer acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI affects the kidneys' ability to filter waste products into the bloodstream and balance fluids and electrolytes.4 Fortunately, this condition usually ends within 48 hours of rehydration. Subsequent research found that the athletes who won the AKI in long-distance races were heavy-duty jerseys, losing about four gallons [4 L] during the race — two gallons more than runners without AKI. as s Fortunately, this condition typically resolves within 48 hours with proper rehydration. A subsequent study found that runners who experienced AKI during a marathon were particularly heavy sweaters, losing approximately four liters during the race—two liters more than marathoners without AKI.5 According to Cane, with proper race hydration, including the ever-important electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, it should be possible for all runners to avoid AKI.
Weakened Immune System
”After particularly challenging runs, your immune system is suppressed, and you're more susceptible to illness,” says Cane. “That's certainly not a reason to avoid running, but it is justification to avoid hard efforts if you're already feeling compromised or might be exposed to contagions.” Fortunately, if you listen to your body and skip your run when you feel a sore throat coming on or feel worn down, your immune system should be able to fend off any illnesses during your marathon training. After all, getting regular exercise has been shown to correlate to a more robust immune system.6 Just don’t overdo it.