Forums >General Running>Is running killing us?
Funky Kicks 2019
I don't understand how the OP article can so completely discount genetics in the equation. Why on earth would anyone assume that just being a runner would provide immunity from all future heart trouble? That seems an incredibly simplistic viewpoint.
I have decided I don't even care about these kind of pronouncements. I'm going to run anyway, until I can no longer run. I'll stack the deck in my favor the best ways I can by taking rest days and cross training and doing exercises to target my weaknesses, but I'm not scaling back my mileage for anyone. Even though my mom has had two hip replacements. I'm sure my hips are a time bomb waiting to go off (which is why I cross train).
I would feel the same way if I had heart disease in my family (and who doesn't??).
Leah, mother of dogs
If it's a full vigorous life of motion and curiosity for 75 years vs a life of moderation and fear for 80 years, I'll take the former.
Damn right you will. Me, too.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
What would Jim Morrison do?
Run until he nearly dropped dead and had a mind-blowing hallucination, that's what.
Run, dammit.
If one stopped doing everything that various reports and studies warned against, we would have to avoid unpurified natural water, tap water, bottled water, outdoor air...., indoor air.....
I am going to keep it simple and keep running. Besides, if I do end up croaking because of it, I'll be dead, therefore won't be around to care anyway.
---I agree with this quote also:
"""If it's a full vigorous life of motion and curiosity for 75 years vs a life of moderation and fear for 80 years, I'll take the former."""
Indeed. I know a few folks who may live to be 85, but I'll be damned if they aren't the most boring, unstimulated, often depressed armchair bandits who are afraid of doing almost anything other than doing 'safe' things like taking in alot of TV....
.
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞
I don't understand how the OP article can so completely discount genetics in the equation. Why on earth would anyone assume that just being a runner would provide immunity from all future heart trouble? That seems an incredibly simplistic viewpoint. I have decided I don't even care about these kind of pronouncements. I'm going to run anyway, until I can no longer run. I'll stack the deck in my favor the best ways I can by taking rest days and cross training and doing exercises to target my weaknesses, but I'm not scaling back my mileage for anyone. Even though my mom has had two hip replacements. I'm sure my hips are a time bomb waiting to go off (which is why I cross train). I would feel the same way if I had heart disease in my family (and who doesn't??).
Amen.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
I'm 55 and recently had a bout of afib requiring cardioversion (shocking) in the ER. I have no heart history in my family (both parents healthy and in their 80's. I never smoked, am not overweight, and have no cardiac history. I've always done endurance sports since a teenager, cycling, triathlons, xc skiing, and running the last 8 years. A LOT of running and ultramarathons. Track workouts, lactate threshold, you name it I've done it. Probably have averaged 10-14 hours/week aerobic exercise for many, many years.
Let me tell you that a lifetime of endurance exercise definitely increases your risk of afib. There are many longitudinal studies from Europe following endurance athletes that show a 2-5X increased incidence of afib over control subjects. Here is an example:
http://www.escardio.org/about/press/press-releases/pr-10/Pages/Atrial-fibrillation-among-cross-country-skiers.aspx
And the a fib tends to become progressive (it's not clear from my reading if exercise cessation changes this -- it probably does). That means it is harder to control with meds, tends to occur more often, and may become chronic over time. A fib increases your chance of a stroke considerably and you need to stay on blood thinners. It can lead to heart failure and statistically decreases your lifespan.
A fib is very unpleasant. You feel somewhat breathless and have poor exercise tolerance. Your cardiac output falls 10-20% and you might feel more tired. In general any meaningful exercise is difficult (although some people continue to exercise who have chronic afib see this blog:
http://afibrunner.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/rejoice-not-all-runners-in-atrial-fibrillation-are-slow/
I believe as more baby boomers continue to exercise and age (as I have) afib will become more visible. Some moderation and days off are definitely important.
Do what you want to :-)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/slomo.html
Was he a runner? What a great line. Joe, thanks. Looking through pubmed I see that he's done some work with Loren Cordain, who happens to have been an instructor of mine at Colorado State and is now apparently into the whole caveman thing. I'm going to do a little more digging. These caveman/neanderthal dudes seem to have a thing against endurance sports. I don't know. If it's a full vigorous life of motion and curiosity for 75 years vs a life of moderation and fear for 80 years, I'll take the former.
Was he a runner? What a great line.
Joe, thanks. Looking through pubmed I see that he's done some work with Loren Cordain, who happens to have been an instructor of mine at Colorado State and is now apparently into the whole caveman thing. I'm going to do a little more digging. These caveman/neanderthal dudes seem to have a thing against endurance sports. I don't know. If it's a full vigorous life of motion and curiosity for 75 years vs a life of moderation and fear for 80 years, I'll take the former.
YES. Well said.
I'm starting to agree with the article a little bit.
I ran 24 miles yesterday (my longest training run ever).
...This morning? I feel like I have one foot in the grave already...
Interval Junkie --Nobby
Do what you want to :-) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/slomo.html
Yep, I think Slomo just won at life.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
Sultan of slug
There really does seem to be some evidence that training seriously is not good for you - compared with exercising moderately, that is.
And: 'Blood profiles like those displayed by the runners, he says, “are similar to those in a very mild heart attack.”'
But I don't think most people on RA run only - or mostly - because we're trying to maximize our physical health, as evidenced by some of the posts here. A lot of us might as well be rock climbers or mountain bikers or BASE jumpers. As Joan says, it's about vitality more than health. It's about rocking the F out on a brutal session on the road or on the track. It's about masochism. It's about the pursuit of greatness.
It's about being able to eat as many damn bacon cheeseburgers as you want, whenever you want (arguably this fits into the "pursuit of greatness").
I wondered how many people he measured running 30-40 miles per week.
Certified Running CoachCrocked since 2013
DCLoafer, bap,
Yes, I agree and this is one of my main problems with the study. Where are the "moderate" exercise controls? Perhaps we would discover that even so-called moderate exercise has some correlation with elevated plaque for those in whom it occurs at all (NOTE THAT THE STUDY FOUND NO DIFFERENCE IN PREVALENCE OF CORONARY PLAQUE ANYWAY!) Also, we are not given any information about whether or not there were correlations (in both groups) of elevated plaque to smoking history or diet or family medical history All we are know is that the groups were supposed to have been matched in those regards.
Joe, thanks for this. Here is a TED talk with James O'Keefe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6U728AZnV0 This guy if freaking creepy. A snake oil salesman with a serious case of narcissistic personality disorder. MTA: If you have a link to his journal article, I would like to read it. Thanks.
Joe, thanks for this. Here is a TED talk with James O'Keefe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6U728AZnV0
This guy if freaking creepy. A snake oil salesman with a serious case of narcissistic personality disorder.
MTA: If you have a link to his journal article, I would like to read it. Thanks.
Ew, the guy comes across as totally smarmy and full of himself. I thought the name rang a bell and wondered if it was the same "expert" who was popping up in all of these "Endurance Sports Are Bad For You" click-bait articles. Thanks Joe and Joanna, for connecting the dots.
MTA: In a strange coincidence, my husband's cardiologist works at Minneapolis Heart Institute. She doesn't have any problem with his running marathons, and has told him that his running has been an important factor in explaining why with his particular genetic disposition he hasn't had complications or a heart attack yet. Wonder what she thinks of the viewpoint her colleagues are advocating.
Only 26.2 miles more to go.
Since I make a habit of doing well over 3,000 miles per year, I'll be ready to check out soon