IS MARATHON RUNNING HEALTHY?

Running a marathon is an ultimate experience! But where does it come from?

In ancient Greece, the first marathon was run by Phidippides. It is said that he ran to Marathon and back to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia (at the Battle of Marathon). He would have died when he brought the news.

When the modern Olympics began in 1896, the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popular event that would remember the glory of ancient Greece. The idea of ​​a marathon race came from Michel Bréal, who wanted the event to be part of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. This idea was supported and laid the foundation for the event now known as marathon running.

 This race event generally takes place on roads with a distance of 42,195km and has grown in popularity in recent years. Also I will run my first marathon this year and with the increase in marathon runners over the years, driven by various motives, it raises the question of whether it is healthy to run a marathon. I looked it up for you!

Pros

Let's start with the benefits. One of the main benefits of running is runner's high. Runner's high refers to the euphoric feeling runners get while running which is caused by the release of endorphins. Endorphins are released during or after aerobic exercise and suppress pain and boost your mood. Most runners experience endorphins when they push the body, but not at maximum effort. Too low an intensity will not be enough to cause an endorphin boost. It also helps to prevent depression and improve sleep. But this advantage applies to all runners!

Another benefit of running a marathon is the change that occur in the heart. With a lot of endurance training, enlargement of the heart or cardiac hypertrophy occurs. Hypertrophy is unfavorable in various heart conditions, but in endurance training the hypertrophy can be positive. Exercise enlarges the heart and gives it more heart muscles, allowing it to pump more oxygenated blood to the muscles during exercise to support the effort. At rest, this enlargement of the heart leads to a decreased heart rate.

Running a marathon has also shown specific benefits when it comes to blood pressure and aortic stiffening. Exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve aortic stiffening as well. This was shown in a study of 138 novice marathoners. The higher extensibility translated in some cases to a reduction of the biological age of the aorta by 4 years.

Cons

Disadvantages of running a marathon are the increased risk of injury. These injuries vary from person to person but generally involve the knees, tendons, hips, joints, ligaments, and the foot. Novice runners are more prone to this than experienced runners. Probably because of overload, running too early too much without the body being ready.

It is necessary for marathon runners to take drinks or gel with electrolytes such as sodium in them to compensate for the loss of sodium. When the sodium concentration in the bloodstream is too low it can lead to reduced concentration. Sodium is important for regulating the fluid balance in the body, regulating blood pressure and for the proper functioning of muscle and nerve cells. If the value drops too extreme, you run the risk of seizures, nervous system shutdown and even death. Research shows that the sodium concentration is lower than at the start of a run, but it returns to normal levels after a day or two. Not replenishing sodium can be dangerous during and immediately after the marathon.

A more striking finding from a small-scale study is that there was so much pressure on the kidneys of the marathon runners that there was an increased risk of acute kidney injury. The study showed that immediately after the marathon the studied runners developed a strongly increased serum concentrations of creatinine. It's not yet clear what exactly leads to kidney injury in marathon runners, but they see a strong rise in body temperature, dehydration and reduced blood flow to the kidneys or a combination of these as possible causes of the marathon-related kidney damage. Incidentally, the problem resolved itself after two days in the study participants and they would not have noticed anything without the study.

So, tell me! Is Running a marathon Healthy?

Running a marathon is not necessarily healthy. But the better you train, the better it is for your body. The benefits associated with training for a marathon are also achieved at the shorter distances up to the half marathon. Endurance athletes still live on average 6 to 8 years longer than people who do relatively little.

Marathon running should not be seen as a means of getting healthy, but rather as a unique challenge or test of fitness for the body. A certain fitness and health must be attained to accomplish it responsibly. Despite your fitness, you run the risk of numerous injuries if you are not careful enough in your preparation.

If you are planning to go for a marathon, build it up slowly and put your health first in your training. You can have a great plan that you have to deviate from if the circumstances change (injuries, pressure at work, etc.). Don’t be afraid to do this and take it with you in your program so there is also room for recovery and unexpected situations. Consider not registering for a marathon right away but starting with smaller runs. This not only gives a better picture of your overall condition, but also what is realistically achievable. In addition, this gives you a longer run-up to a possible marathon. Also make sure you plan your electrolytes and sodium intake during your run to avoid dehydration. Be wise, have fun and good luck! 

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