Hello!
It is already Wednesday! This week is flying by for me, it has been a really fun week so far though. I hope you are all having a wonderful day.
As you all know, I’ve been reading various things about heart health recently. I don’t even know why or how I got interested. However, one thing led to the other and I wanted to share with you some of the more interesting stuff I’ve been reading.
One of the more interesting groups of articles I stumbled upon was about the impact of endurance training on your heart. I read various articles (that essentially said the same thing) and here is a link to one of the good ones. Studies have found that endurance races, such as Olympic length triathlons, can cause long term and even fatal damage to your heart and arteries.
Long term training for endurance events can lead to abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart and releases the same biomarkers found during cardiac arrest. These changes usually return to normal within a week. However, if training continues in the longer term it can lead to irregular heartbeat, scarring or patchy myocardial fibrosis.
However, with all that said there are relatively few direct deaths in endurance athletes every year; the statistics are one death for every 100,000 people who run a marathon in the USA. And there are approximately 2 million American’s running marathons every year. (Isn’t that number amazing!!! So many people!)
Balance is the key, as with anything as the health benefits rise as you start to train and taper off as you over train. US Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends only 2.5 hours a week of moderate exercise and 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like running). Seems like nothing when I think about how much training I do and have done. However, it also seems like a number that is more achievable for many people who make the excuse that they don’t have time.
What are your thoughts on endurance training and health? I think a lot of you get way more out of your training over and above the physical benefits. Endurance events are very “mental” and I believe probably good for you psychologically. Do studies like these change how you view training?
Jess xoxoxox
Yes, I read something about this too, when I first started training for a marathon. Have to say it kind of scared me a little, but really, if you do things in moderation it shouldn’t be an issue! There have been many many endurance athletes before us and you hardly hear of them having these issues. I’m by no means close to even being an elite athlete, so I shan’t get too hung up about it.
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Yeah I agree! I think that the stats do too. There are so many marathoners and very few heart problems directly caused by the events. I think elite endurance athletes are at the greatest risk. I found it very interesting though,
it is so funny because all you ever read about are the positive impact of endurance sports not the negative side, so scary!
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Yeah, that is definitely true. It is amazing how something that can be “healthy” if done too much loses its benefits and becomes harmful! Rest is important too!
I’ve researched into this before too and from what I understood the effects were not permanent. I agree with you- everything in moderation… It’s be interesting to know what effect does having scaring on your heart have on your heart health. It sounds scary but does it actually increase your chance of having heart problems?
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From what I understood the changes are not permanent if training is short term. However, if there is no long break and you are training continuously for years you can do real damage. One article said they were at 5 x risk for heart disease. I think though most of us would not be training at that level consistently and really we live in a society where we are not active enough. But Olympic triathlons and ultra marathons are huge events, and it doesnt surprise me that they take their toll.
You mention ‘balance’ and I think that’s important to consider no matter what level of training you are doing!
Thanks for sharing this!
Deb
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Yeah I think it is one of those concepts that is important across all areas of our life! If only it was easier to achieve!
ooh really interesting. I definitely agree that moderation and balance are key!
Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear recently posted…WIAW- The Light
Yeah!
If we balance the number of marathon-related deaths against those related to obesity, I wager that being obese is much, much more dangerous.
There are always those who misjudge their capabilities and overdo it, therefore, as you said, balance is key.
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Yeah there would be/ are far more deaths related to obesity then marathon running for sure. Definitely obesity is more of a real and direct concern for the Western world!