Running a marathon? No way!

[hilda]

Have you read this article already? I thought running a marathon is a great and healthy sport. Then why is there such list like this?

10 Reasons You Should Never Run a Marathon Article on Stuffmagazine.com

Now I am having second thoughts whether to like running or not.

[minime]

are u serious? this 'article' is just basically a list of lazy mans reasons to sit on your a** instead of getting out and getting exercise. Why run when you can sit in a chair and get drunk!

If anything - reading this article has made me WANT to run a marathon lol

[sooner_ed]

You're actually placing any credence in that article? lol

Why pay an entry fee when you could go to an amusement park? lol

Shoes are expensive. Yea, and so is eating healthy. Let's see...whey and supplements don't come cheap on a regular basis.

I'm glad to know that runners impose their will on new runners. Perhaps you should join a running club first and find out. Actually, you don't have to join. Just show up for one of their runs. They don't mind. They'll welcome you.

Just understand that article was written by a non-runner who is trying to justify why he doesn't do any cardio, specifically running.

I think that since there is a possibility I could injure myself while lifting, maybe I shouldn't like lifting too.

hhmmm...following that same logic, I could get hit by a mac truck while crossing the street today so perhaps I'll just stay inside.

[CF-OC_gal]

Hilda what are your fitness goals as they relate to participating on DF?

You've made 6 posts here, 2 had advertising and were edited, one was your very brief introduction, one is this post questioning the value of a widely accepted and loved fitness activity, one was one word "awesome" and the other has been forgotten!

Just exactly what are you hoping to get out of your participation on these forums? You said in your first post that you are learning a lot. I hope you can see that the folks here are serious about training and realize that there are risks involved. By becoming practitioners of of the sport, they mitigate those risks. Just exactly what did you expect as a response to starting this thread? It sounds like stirring the pot to me.

I'm watching this thread at the moment and I will close it if all it does is rile up the anger in dedicated members of this site. Good discussion on the otherhand is welcomed and encouraged.

We would love to have you join us in helping you achieve and celebrate your fitness goals. We no longer offer a general discussion forum if that is the kind of community you were hoping for.

[F_Mac]

You either like running or you don't. Why would you care what a magazine (especially one not oriented towards fitness) has to say about it?

[tim_mcf]

Well, that article is a ridiculous piece of crap, but there's actually a lot of good, real reasons not to run marathons. Muscle wasting, joint stress, excessive demands on your time, loss of the ability to do just about anything else that we think of when we say a person is "fit"... (Less muscle mass, less power, lower speed, reduced vertical leap, etc...)

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by tim_mcf

Well, that article is a ridiculous piece of crap, but there's actually a lot of good, real reasons not to run marathons. Muscle wasting, joint stress, excessive demands on your time, loss of the ability to do just about anything else that we think of when we say a person is "fit"... (Less muscle mass, less power, lower speed, reduced vertical leap, etc...)

Tim, you and I don't disagree often but this is one time that we do.

1. Muscle wasting.
You don't have to waste muscle by running a marathon. You simply need to know how to refuel while you continue to run.

2. Joint stress
I understand where you are coming from on that one. I won't argue this point.

3. Excessive demands on your time.
Not really. You start off with fewer miles at the beginning of marathon training. You gradually increase those miles during a 16 week training program. When you get up to 40 and 50 miles a week, I know that sounds like a lot, but half of those miles come with your long run on weekends. Generally, your longest run will last three hours one day a week. And that happens only a couple, maybe three times, during the 16 week program.

4. Loss of ability to do just about anything else.
If you have a good cross-training program, then this statement is not true. Runners do more than just run. We lift weights, we cross-train, whether it's a stationary bike, elliptical, swimming, flexibility training, and even jumping and leaping.

As I'm sure you know, the more stresses you put on your body, the more important it is to have an optimal nutrition plan and adequate sleep and rest to ensure quick recovery.

Let me know what you think.

Ed

[tim_mcf]

It's not for me, Ed, but I'm not going to knock you if you're doing it. I suppose it comes down to philosophical differences in exactly what fitness is, and what our individual goals are. The ultimate argument in my mind is to just look at some marathon runners standing next to some sprinters. Who would win a fight? Who would win a basketball game?

[sooner_ed]

I would definitely say a person is fit if they can run a marathon, but you're absolutely right, it's not for everyone.

People of all sizes and shapes run marathons.

I'm sure you will agree, you can not guage fitness levels based upon who would win a fight or basketball game, hence your argument of philosophical differences.

[Maxgain]

Originally Posted by sooner_ed

Tim, you and I don't disagree often but this is one time that we do.

1. Muscle wasting.
You don't have to waste muscle by running a marathon. You simply need to know how to refuel while you continue to run.

2. Joint stress
I understand where you are coming from on that one. I won't argue this point.

3. Excessive demands on your time.
Not really. You start off with fewer miles at the beginning of marathon training. You gradually increase those miles during a 16 week training program. When you get up to 40 and 50 miles a week, I know that sounds like a lot, but half of those miles come with your long run on weekends. Generally, your longest run will last three hours one day a week. And that happens only a couple, maybe three times, during the 16 week program.

4. Loss of ability to do just about anything else.
If you have a good cross-training program, then this statement is not true. Runners do more than just run. We lift weights, we cross-train, whether it's a stationary bike, elliptical, swimming, flexibility training, and even jumping and leaping.

As I'm sure you know, the more stresses you put on your body, the more important it is to have an optimal nutrition plan and adequate sleep and rest to ensure quick recovery.

Let me know what you think.

Ed

I fully agree with Tim. The body has huge recovery potential but that does not mean it is alright to do them. Every year in the Dublin marathon there are ambulances waiting to take poeple to hospital for exhaustion dehydration etc. This year a man died at mile 16.

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by Maxgain

I fully agree with Tim. The body has huge recovery potential but that does not mean it is alright to do them. Every year in the Dublin marathon there are ambulances waiting to take poeple to hospital for exhaustion dehydration etc. This year a man died at mile 16.

It also doesn't mean that it is NOT not alright to do them either (I hope that made sense).

There are ambulances there because many people do not train properly for a marathon, which includes proper nutrition, hydration, and training.

As far as the man dying at mile 16, I don't mean this to sound harsh, but I believe that when it is your time to go, you're going to go, whether it's at mile 16 or sitting at home in front of the tv.

There was a professional pianist who was outstanding. He was playing the piano on a cruise concert in the Carribean last February and he died, literally, while playing the piano. So just because a man died while running a marathon at mile 16 doesn't mean we shouldn't run marathons. It just means it was his time to go.

They also have ambulances at professional sporting events like the NFL. That doesn't mean they don't play football though. It's all about proper preparation. And just because you have prepared properly, that doesn't mean everything will be foolproof or go as you had planned.

All I can say is if you haven't run a marathon, don't judge it. As Tim said, it's not for him, and that's fine. It's not for everyone.

I know I won't change your mind if you're against it. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[yorkie85]

Well last year a handful of people died in a marathon in England, but that's really down to the general public's lack of respect for the marathon. They think they can get through it once on little more than will power alone.

There are plenty of big guys who run marathons, and in respectful times. Running a marathon doesn't make you look like Paul Tergat. But being of a similar build in the first place is a requirement if you want to become one of the elite. If you want to preserve muscle mass, you just take some carb gel with you. And then there's the most important reason of all to run a marathon - charity.

[luvr29]

Only two of those ponits make any sense. And if you have been running at all you are already use to those.

[plcsp]

10- (chafing problem) Most marathoners don't wear cotton, you will find that most shirts that come with races are polyester or some other fabric that doesn't chafe as bad.
9- (overly chatty people) I ran 2 half-marathons and I think I probably talked to 3 or 4 people for about 50 yards and they were always words of encouragement or words to put a smile on your face.
8- (cost of living) The best running shoes I ever owned were a $20 pair I got on clearance at Value City, I ran a 5:00 mile in them a couple of times. Asics aren't for everyone. I own Asics now but the better $20 pair were Adidas, unfortunately they don't make them anymore.
7- (girly short shorts) My half-marathons were both run in USMC issue green shorts that came about 4" above my knee. My balls weren't hanging out.
6- (ice discomfort) In all my years of running I have never been in an ice bath. After a big race I would go home and sit in the swimming pool and massage my legs and swim a little just to get the weight off my legs but still have some movement to prevent cramping.
5- (special foods needed) I ate whatever I wanted when I wanted all day long except I didn't drink anything carbonated and I would load up on carbs the night before a race. I placed 133 out of 5,007 in my last half-marathon.
4- (cant drink) They have beer at the finish lines of most marathons, they are a source of carbs.
3- (nipples hurting) This is the same thing as number 10, chafing. Don't wear a cotton shirt.
2- (the burden of running everyday) If you don't like running then why run a marathon in the first place, this website's Top 10 is really stupid if you haven't picked up on it yet.
1- (tears in manhood) Don't wear cotton undies, that's why military issue running shorts have the swimming shorts style netting in them. You don't wear undies.

I'd like to meet the person that made up that count down, I bet he's 300 lbs of fat and is jealous of those who manage to stay fit. Apply my signature to this person.