Running, taken to a dangerous unhealthy extreme

[LoneRanger]

Someone I know is into extreme running. Clearly running is normally a great fitness activity. When done sensibly. But this person runs the 24 hour races that go over mixed terrain and mileage typically over 50. They did the Death March in Georgia for 52 miles and more recently the ultimate tough mudder or something and ran 62 miles in just over 24 hours straight. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being sour grapes. I respect that they can achieve this and I never could, but I think they are destroying their lower body orthopedically. About ten days before the ultimate mudder thing they went to an MD office and got their knees shot up full of cortisone to "prep" for the race. Now, a few days after the race they can literally barely walk. Like a slow motion version of Frankenstein walk. Only 40 yrs old. This just seems insane to me. There has to be a point where pushing beyond a certain mileage starts to do damage. I joked that they ought to invest in the stock of the knee replacement manufacturer of their choice.

 

[Merkava_4]

Wait a minute.........you say they're running for 24 hours straight ?

Is this some kind of new sport I haven't heard about ?

 

[ClarkB]

There is plenty of evidence that such running can be done in a healthy way and in fact, we might be one of very few animals that can run such distances. Read the book "Born to Run" and then weigh the evidence.

Clark

 

[Kestas]

That runner should be studied.

 

[DriveHard]

I have a co-worker here that does the same thing...and I am considering it as well. Seems like a lot of fun (yes, I know my idea of fun is altered). My only fear is losing much of the muscle mass I have gained from years of training. I'm sure you would also say picking up cars and refrigerators is bad on my body as well.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Someone I know is into extreme running. Clearly running is normally a great fitness activity. When done sensibly. But this person runs the 24 hour races that go over mixed terrain and mileage typically over 50. They did the Death March in Georgia for 52 miles and more recently the ultimate tough mudder or something and ran 62 miles in just over 24 hours straight. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being sour grapes. I respect that they can achieve this and I never could, but I think they are destroying their lower body orthopedically. About ten days before the ultimate mudder thing they went to an MD office and got their knees shot up full of cortisone to "prep" for the race. Now, a few days after the race they can literally barely walk. Like a slow motion version of Frankenstein walk. Only 40 yrs old. This just seems insane to me. There has to be a point where pushing beyond a certain mileage starts to do damage. I joked that they ought to invest in the stock of the knee replacement manufacturer of their choice.

I don't know if its much worse than the person whose poor diet and exercise choices make them unhealthy?
I guess your buddy realizes that he won't be able to compete at a high level for much longer, but perhaps is setting himself up for long term pain and moderate disability?
I guess its a risk he's willing to take.

 

[spackard]

Doping in sports of any kind means it's not a sport anymore.

People get cortisone injections into joints because of arthritis, or into spinal areas because of injuries, not because they want to run farther "for sport".

 

[eugenem]

Ultra marathons (any run over 26.2 miles) and endurance events have become a lot more popular in recent years.

One thing to understand about these endurance events is that most runners aren't going all out (maintaining a 5-6 minute pace for 20+ miles). Because these events are typically run on trails and not roads, the mountains slow them down. So it's more about careful planning to survive the 50-100 miles.

 

[ls1mike]

I have done this every year for the past 4 years.

Not as extreme but you don't really get any sleep. It is a blast!

RAGNAR Relay

 

[grampi]

I used to be a runner until it started bothering my knees. It got so bad I could hardly get out of bed in the morning. So I quit running and started using an elliptical trainer...problem solved...I still get the exorcise I need without beating up my knees...I don't use it for 24 hours straight though...

 

[philipp10]

I used to run but only about 3 miles at a time. It was great exercise and I was in great shape. But as I have gotten older, I have come to the conclusion that a mile is plenty. I want to save my joints etc. I think running like any exercise can be taken to the point of harm. The fact that he is getting injections before the race tells me he is WAY, WAY over the top. IMO, that doctor should be reprimanded. Cortisone is bad for the body, long term. I don't buy the book that says we used to do that in our caveman days. We also didn't live past 30 in our caveman days so joint deterioration was not an issue.

 

[CT8]

We can become addicted to even things that are considered healthy as well as unhealthy things. There is even a double Iron Man.

 

[panther427]

Everything in moderation

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Pheidippides, the original Marathon runner, died immediately after running from the battlefied at Marathon to Athens and delivering his message of victory over the Persians.

 

[DoubleWasp]

This is why I do endurance bicycling, and not running. Impact exercise is a mother on the joints. The taller you are, the worse it is, because joints that are proportionally larger are not proportionally stronger, and are under exponentially larger forces.

I admire them, and don't hate them. Just wouldn't do it myself.

On the other hand, running Marathons while pushing his disabled son in a wheelchair does not seem to have destroyed this 72 year old man's health over the years:

http://www.teamhoyt.com/

 

[lubricatosaurus]

People should pursue their passions, even if it hurts or kills them, since we all die anyway.

This guy, Dean Karnazes, was studied on Stan Lee's Superhumans series a few years ago, and found to have the rare ability to clear away lactic acid buildup in his muscles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Karnazes

These people run long distances in their ancient culture, fueled mostly by a type of maize (corn) beer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarahumara_people

 

[OneEyeJack]

I have been a runner for decades, running marathons and ultras along with a few adventure runs. In my 30's I was running just over 100 miles a week and ran a 2:16:03 marathon for a 10th place at 35 years old. That's each mile at an average of 5 minutes and 34 seconds. I'm a senior citizen now and have never experienced a knee or hip problem and only twisted my ankles a few times. There is no evidence of arthritis or any other damage to my joints, now. I still run and do time on a stair climber along with weight training.

I was hit by cancer that almost did me in and I'm using running to gain back my health and it's working. After my second of 5 surgeries I collapsed after taking 3 steps on the stair climber. That got me working in earnest. Frankly it scared me to my very core that I could be in this kind of shape. After 6 months of desperate work I was told by my physical therapist that my goal was to do 20 floors on the stair climber in 10 minutes but to go as long as I could and do as many floors as I could manage. I did 467 floors in 3 hours. These hospital people are too easy of patients and afraid to tell them what they should know and do.

Other than my cancer treatment and med's I take no pills for blood pressure, cholesterol or any other of the self inflected modern diseases. My blood pressure is 120/55 and my resting pulse is 45. In my younger days my blood pressure was 110/50 and my resting pulse was 40. I understand that my cancer will eventually kill me but I'll be as healthy as possible until that day arrives.

 

[earlyre]

Here's an article about my cousin in Hong Kong, whose love of endurance running cost him a marriage, And leave his job as a teacher, and take over a runners store.

http://www.arounddb.com/articles/life-on-lantau-articles/persona/34529-meet-running-man-shane-early

 

[andrewg]

My experiences with running and being very physical was a pleasurable. At least for the first 40 years of my life. I can not speak for others about what they can expect after decades of pounding the body. What I can say is that I wish somebody had told me to moderate my physical activities and pamper the body more. Especially my back, knees, and even my hands. If I had done so, my life right now would be FAR better than it is.

The part about getting cortisone injections in order to run a race...is evidence of the damage being done to the body. It is nutty and completely reckless.

To oneEyeJack...you have an inspiring tale to tell. Good for you and never giving in! I am surprised that in all that time though that you've suffered no joint or back issues. You are fortunate in many ways....especially in keeping that cancer at bay. I wish you a long life!

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
People should pursue their passions, even if it hurts or kills them, since we all die anyway.

This guy, Dean Karnazes, was studied on Stan Lee's Superhumans series a few years ago, and found to have the rare ability to clear away lactic acid buildup in his muscles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Karnazes

These people run long distances in their ancient culture, fueled mostly by a type of maize (corn) beer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarahumara_people


That first sentence is astoundingly misguided.

But then, that's just my opinion and the fact that I take life very seriously and realize that balance is one of the keys to a long and happy one. Abusing my body or risking death because I am somehow fulfilling a passion must have it's limits.