Are Marathon - Ultra Marathons bad for you?

[Cookie]

An article about a recent death in the Ultra Marathon world.

[Scott]

An article about a recent death in the Ultra Marathon world.

dont know about the heart problem aspect tbh. I dont know how many ultra / marathon runners have developed issues with their heart.

I remember that Scottish doctor who was doing the ultras talking about the damage they do in general. I suppose though that any general damage done is largely an individual thing and would be affected by each persons general lifestyle as well.

they are kinda extreme though.

[samurai69]

any extreme sport is bad for you

extreme MTBing BAD

extreme Skiing BAD

etreme bodybuilding BAD

skiing for fun ....safe

MTBing for fun ....safe healthy

climbing for fun...safe healthy

bodybuilding...safe healthy


same with marathons, ironman v sprint triathlon


etc etc

[Scott]

probably cant do a marathon for fun and defo not an ultra but the frequency you done them would be in the mix for accumulating damage and what you do inbetween your marathons / ultras as well.

are there any figures for heart problems within the marathon / ultra circuit?

[Cookie]

dont know about the heart problem aspect tbh. I dont know how many ultra / marathon runners have developed issues with their heart.

I remember that Scottish doctor who was doing the ultras talking about the damage they do in general. I suppose though that any general damage done is largely an individual thing and would be affected by each persons general lifestyle as well.

they are kinda extreme though.

I know the guy you're on about. Ran from Scotland to some far flung land in a really short space of time.

Always had the opinion that a lot of these runners don't consume enough protein to help with full recovery. Their bodies then take far longer to repair after such events. They rely far too much on carbohydrate consumption.

any extreme sport is bad for you

extreme MTBing BAD

extreme Skiing BAD

etreme bodybuilding BAD

skiing for fun ....safe

MTBing for fun ....safe healthy

climbing for fun...safe healthy

bodybuilding...safe healthy

same with marathons, ironman v sprint triathlon

Agree. I've noticed the runners at work racing nearly every weekend on top of 2-3-4 training sessions per week. Granted not every race is a marathon or ultra but they put their bodies through a heck of a lot of punishment. Too much in my opinion.

A good read but not conclusive.

[Cookie]

http://vanessaruns.com/2012/06/05/ultra ... ve-a-shit/

[Melas Zomos]

I would have to say no. They are only dangerous if you do not train properly or have an existing condition. I know 2 Ultra runners and one is over 50 and other than going to sleep a little early and rising a little early for my taste they is right healthy. You are allowed to stop and rest/walk during these and generally the medical staff at these races are top notch. Honestly given your training background you should not have a problem, it is more mind of matter than anything. You just need to find the right training regime and be hardheaded and stubborn. Obviously you have the latter nailed

[Cookie]

I would have to say no. They are only dangerous if you do not train properly or have an existing condition. I know 2 Ultra runners and one is over 50 and other than going to sleep a little early and rising a little early for my taste they is right healthy. You are allowed to stop and rest/walk during these and generally the medical staff at these races are top notch. Honestly given your training background you should not have a problem, it is more mind of matter than anything. You just need to find the right training regime and be hardheaded and stubborn. Obviously you have the latter nailed

Apparently there were two "pop stars" over here who recently ran a marathon with no training at all.

Plus I have a "theory" why so many suffer so badly during/after such long periods of running which I'll put to the test over the coming months.

Right training regime: I'll follow your lead & start doing Crossfit.

Hardheaded: Deep thinker

Stubborn: Focused

[Melas Zomos]

Right training regime: I'll follow your lead & start doing Crossfit.

You are all set then, should be nothing more than a walk in the park.

[Cookie]

Right training regime: I'll follow your lead & start doing Crossfit.

You are all set then, should be nothing more than a walk in the park.

Yeah you could say I'm pretty close to doing a marathon without any issues.

[samurai69]

if you can do a half the a full isnt much harder just longer

[Cookie]

if you can do a half the a full isnt much harder just longer

Mentally I know I can do it. First one will be done at a steady pace just to see how I react.