Health and fitness

[sweet224]

New York '94 was my third and last marathon. Since then I've downgraded my running efforts to more manageable distances like the half marathon and 10-K. Secretly, I've come to wonder if I didn't do damage to myself in each of the marathons I ran. I don't have any scars or permanent injuries (that I know of), but where pain and exhaustion typically fade from memory, my post-marathon distress is as vivid to me now as it was on that horrific morning after.

Which is why it's kind of strange, you'll have to agree, that lately I've found myself wanting to run another one.

Over the course of a generation, the marathon has undergone a startling change in status. What was once a loopy stunt attempted by only a few weirdos is now a rite of passage for many men, the coolest test out there of fitness and health.
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sweet224
Online Dating

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I can't tell if you intend to stay around due to the oh so renowned avatar and the online dating link in your sig, but I'll answer anyhow. Marathoners aren't very healthy people. They have many of the same problems as those with malnutrition and eating disorders. On top of that, there's the component of exercise addiction. Plus there are the everyday athletic qualms about injury, over training, muscle breakdown, etc. If you've done them, then that's great, they're done. I doubt you did any long lasting damage on yourself, depending on how long you actually trained very long distances unless you had a direct injury you can recollect.

 

[DomS]

That post sounds like a computer pieced together random statements about marathons, then gave me dating advice

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: DomS
That post sounds like a computer pieced together random statements about marathons, then gave me dating advice

Agreed. *Shrugs*

 

[EvilYoda]

Originally posted by: DomS
That post sounds like a computer pieced together random statements about marathons, then gave me dating advice

So, the question is...did the advice work? That's what is important here.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: sweet224
the coolest test out there of fitness and health.

No. Many people have always done regular marathons. Its the Ultras, the 50Ks, the 50M, the 100Ks, the 100M, and longer, that are the rite of passage.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: sweet224
the coolest test out there of fitness and health.

No. Many people have always done regular marathons. Its the Ultras, the 50Ks, the 50M, the 100Ks, the 100M, and longer, that are the rite of passage.

Those are tough races, but what about Ironman and Ultraman races? Those events are growing in popularity.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: sweet224
the coolest test out there of fitness and health.

No. Many people have always done regular marathons. Its the Ultras, the 50Ks, the 50M, the 100Ks, the 100M, and longer, that are the rite of passage.

Those are tough races, but what about Ironman and Ultraman races? Those events are growing in popularity.

I consider those for idiots. I don't care if people think it's a mind over matter thing. Some way or another, you're hurting your body immensely. Tough or not - they're stupid for the human physiology to do unless forced.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: sweet224
the coolest test out there of fitness and health.

No. Many people have always done regular marathons. Its the Ultras, the 50Ks, the 50M, the 100Ks, the 100M, and longer, that are the rite of passage.

Those are tough races, but what about Ironman and Ultraman races? Those events are growing in popularity.

I consider those for idiots. I don't care if people think it's a mind over matter thing. Some way or another, you're hurting your body immensely. Tough or not - they're stupid for the human physiology to do unless forced.

Wow, that's pretty narrow minded. :roll:

For the record, "experts" like you used to think the same way of people who ran marathons.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: sweet224
the coolest test out there of fitness and health.

No. Many people have always done regular marathons. Its the Ultras, the 50Ks, the 50M, the 100Ks, the 100M, and longer, that are the rite of passage.

Those are tough races, but what about Ironman and Ultraman races? Those events are growing in popularity.

I consider those for idiots. I don't care if people think it's a mind over matter thing. Some way or another, you're hurting your body immensely. Tough or not - they're stupid for the human physiology to do unless forced.

Wow, that's pretty narrow minded. :roll:

For the record, "experts" like you used to think the same way of people who ran marathons.

Well, know that it's just an opinion in this case so I definitely won't force anything on anyone. I clearly don't consider myself an expert in this field. However, experts still do tests on marathoners where they perform poorly in almost every other physical fitness type of test on top of being ridden with other diseases/syndromes/injuries.

 

[Megatomic]

Those are just marathoners. Triathletes must be good swimmers and bicyclists, too. Also, most multisport athletes do strength training if for no other reason than to keep the joints healthy. I do it for physique reasons as well. 😉

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Those are just marathoners. Triathletes must be good swimmers and bicyclists, too. Also, most multisport athletes do strength training if for no other reason than to keep the joints healthy. I do it for physique reasons as well. 😉

Well, I meant moreso outside of the endurance field - agility, power, strength, coordination, etc. Plus the difficulty of getting enough calories in drives many athletes unknowingly into a state of malnutrition. Bad times. I'm just mentioning how the body handles it. People will do it, even if they know it's bad for them so I'm not trying to hinder anybody. I just promote them to strengthen their weaknesses 🙂 Most endurance athletes aren't willing to do so in my experience.

 

[Megatomic]

Calories? Getting enough calories is one of the biggest advantages of participating in long distance endurance training. If you eat properly(the right foods), it's like you have to be eating constantly. For someone who loves food, it's a win-win situation.

Agility? I'm not sure how someone is supposed to improve their agility outside of gymnastics and/or martial arts.

Power? Power is what Iron distance triathletes are all about.

Strength? Many endurance athletes do strength training, but we don't strive to put on massive amounts of muscle. It slows us down in our races.

Coordination? See agility above. I don't see how weight lifters are any better than endurance athletes in this regard.

You should check out Triathlete Magazine, they actively promote strength training for participants of the sport.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Calories? Getting enough calories is one of the biggest advantages of participating in long distance endurance training. If you eat properly(the right foods), it's like you have to be eating constantly. For someone who loves food, it's a win-win situation.

Agility? I'm not sure how someone is supposed to improve their agility outside of gymnastics and/or martial arts.

Power? Power is what Iron distance triathletes are all about.

Strength? Many endurance athletes do strength training, but we don't strive to put on massive amounts of muscle. It slows us down in our races.

Coordination? See agility above. I don't see how weight lifters are any better than endurance athletes in this regard.

You should check out Triathlete Magazine, they actively promote strength training for participants of the sport.

See, but what you equate to fitness, I don't. I have always viewed that if you cannot hold your own all around, you're not elite. I know that these things are not what triathletes are about, but I'm saying they are lacking very useful aspects of fitness. Also even while eating continuously, many of the ultra-distance athletes can't take in enough. That's what I'm saying. I'm also saying that there is much more to fitness than endurance and endurance-related strength training. It's like putting all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Megatomic]

This is an age old argument. Weight lifters think they have the fitness world cornered. Endurance athletes feel the same way. Obviously the truly fit athlete can bench press twice his body weight and run a sub 3 marathon. Does that guy exist? Maybe, but he is a rarity.

Personally, I eat very well. I run. I bike. I swim. I lift weights. I do body weight training. I do core training. I am a typical triathlete (wannabe). What am I missing out on?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
This is an age old argument. Weight lifters think they have the fitness world cornered. Endurance athletes feel the same way. Obviously the truly fit athlete can bench press twice his body weight and run a sub 3 marathon. Does that guy exist? Maybe, but he is a rarity.

Personally, I eat very well. I run. I bike. I swim. I lift weights. I do body weight training. I do core training. I am a typical triathlete (wannabe). What am I missing out on?

Oh no, I'm not only a weightlifter. I as well am a runner, swimmer, biker, grappler, water polo player, basketball player, etc, etc. I have played almost every real sport competitively in my lifetime. I have even run cross country.

This is me talking as an exercise bio major. I personally admire the Ben Franklins of exercise where they are jacks of all trades. That is my goal.

I am saying mainly that endurance athletes have been praised at the most elite athletes in the world. I say that they aren't. I admire their toughness, determination, and countless hours of hard work. However, overall, I don't view them as the most in shape.

Example: high level sprinters perform exceptionally well in almost all of these aspects, while endurance athletes score off the scale only in endurance-related things and mediocre in all other fields. It's due to the type of training and specialization.

Plus, like I said before, the human body in no case takes extreme endurance exercises "well." Muscle breakdown happens almost instantly. Injuries occur frequently. The body is in a state of needing practically everything. The kidneys have added stress of high amounts of potassium to process due to the muscle breakdown. The liver constantly drains itself almost totally of glycogen. It's these things that keep me away from being a marathoner.

 

[Megatomic]

I agree with you if that person is just a runner. But when you add biking and swimming to the mix that changes things a lot. I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree amicably. 🙂

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Oh no, I'm not only a weightlifter. I as well am a runner, swimmer, biker, grappler, water polo player, basketball player, etc, etc. I have played almost every real sport competitively in my lifetime. I have even run cross country.

I play Xbox and post in H&F. Does that count for anything?

Edit: 😀

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I agree with you if that person is just a runner. But when you add biking and swimming to the mix that changes things a lot. I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree amicably. 🙂

Fair enough. This is really just a battle of opinions where no one is technically right or wrong. Thank you for the civil debate though.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I agree with you if that person is just a runner. But when you add biking and swimming to the mix that changes things a lot. I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree amicably. 🙂

Fair enough. This is really just a battle of opinions where no one is technically right or wrong. Thank you for the civil debate though.

The very point of forums IMHO.

 

[KlokWyze]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I agree with you if that person is just a runner. But when you add biking and swimming to the mix that changes things a lot. I guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree amicably. 🙂

Fair enough. This is really just a battle of opinions where no one is technically right or wrong. Thank you for the civil debate though.

The very point of forums IMHO.

the very point that is rarely exercised as well.... :frown: