it doesn’t seem sustainable, which makes me wonder what the long term considerations are
Having a heart condition I've delved into this pretty deeply.
First of all, a warning- there were a couple of studies done back in 2012 that declared- LONG DISTANCE RUNNING IS BAD FOR YOU! They got a lot of press and media coverage. Upon closer scrutiny it was found they "adjusted" certain parameters in order to compare "like" groups. The factors they "adjusted" were BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Hmmm. In the words of the article linked below, it was like saying, "If you ignore the known health benefits of running, running has no health benefits."
The reserachers eventually had to amend their statements to- running is really, really good for you. Running a lot (more than 20 miles a week) does not confer added benefits, but neither does it create more risk. Their revised statement did not get the same amount of press and was kind of ignored, so many people were left with RUNNING IS BAD FOR YOU.
Then another scientist began publishing studies with a much, much larger database that showed people running more (at least 40 miles a week) were 26% less likely to develop coronary heart desease than those running only 13 miles a week.
We’ve all seen the scary headlines. Here’s the truth behind the hype.
www.runnersworld.com
I also had a back "injury" so was concerned about the effect of running on my spine and joints. As far as musculo skeletal issues-
Whatever your running goal is, here are tips on how to get started and what you should know.
health.clevelandclinic.org
Some studies have shown higher rateS of arthritis in runners while others have shown no association or possibly a benefit to running.
www.caryortho.com
The picture gets a little cloudier for ultra running-
Is ultrarunning unhealthy? Coach Jason Koop delves into new research from Vokler Scheer, MD and Nick Tiller, PhD. for the answer.
trainright.com
Running, even extremely long distances, can be done with minimal long-term health impacts for most people. Here’s what to know about the risks associated with running ultras, according to experts.
www.trailrunnermag.com
but the conclusion is-
Article 1-
1-There is currently little compelling evidence that normal ultramarathon training is deleterious to one’s physical health.
2-If you are concerned about the role ultramarathon running plays in your physical health, considering limiting your training to 12 hours per week during peak weeks and racing only once or twice per year. While you’d be hard pressed to find a concrete scientific guideline in this area, both recommendations seem to be safe as well as practical.
3-Your relationship with ultrarunning should extend beyond the physical. Ultrarunning and training for ultramarathon events should fulfill your psychological and emotional needs as well!
Article 2-
"So, are ultramarathons safe? For the most part, yes. With informed decisions about which races to do, how often to race, and how well you are recovered, most people can participate in ultramarathons without negative outcomes. Running is good for your health and ultramarathons can be a fun way to challenge yourself and compete with like-minded people.
FInally, this study said half marathons were the healthiest distance=
Endurance running is well-documented to affect health beneficially. However, data are still conflicting in terms of which race distance is associated with the maximum health effects to be obtained. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the health status of endurance runners over...
www.nature.com
I have come to enjoy running almost as much as surfing, so like surfing, I will do it as long as I am able.
My only caveat to runners is make sure you're dong the strength training too.